ben good lorde vnto me and I haue hadde moche profyte by hym who was nephewe and nexte to the erle Loys of Bloys broder germayne to saynt Charles of Bloys and as longe as he lyued he was duke of Bretayne Truely I saye not this for no cause but all onely to declare the trouthe And also the gentyll prynce and erle that hathe caused me to wryte this story wolde in no wyse that I sholde swarue from the trouth NOwe to retourne to our purpose ye knowe well as longe as duke Iohan of Bretayne lyued he coulde neuer attayne to haue all his men in euery poynte to agree to his oppynyons And he sore fered them lest at the last they sholde haue taken hym and put hym in pryson in Fraunce Wherfore he departed out of Bretayne and wente in to Englande with all his householde and the lady his wyfe Iahan of Holande doughter somtyme of the good knyght syr Thomas Holande and thus a season he became seruaunt to kynge Rycharde of Englande and afterwarde he wente in to Flaunders to the erle of Bloys who was his cosyn germayne there taryed more then a yere and an halfe ¶ Fynally they of his owne countrey sente for hym and soo by good accorde thyder he wente ¶ And when he came in to his countrey there were certayne townes closed styl agaynst hym and rebelled and specyally the cyte of Nauntes But all his lordes knyghtes and prelates were all of his accorde excepte the lordes before rehersed and to haue the sygnory of them and to gete the fauoure and good wyll of the good townes and Cytyes and to put the Frensshe kynge in more fere bycause he wolde ouerpresse them with taxes and subsydyes as they dyd in Fraunce and in Pycardye whiche they wolde not suffre in Bretayne Therfore he sente vnto the kynge of Englande for socoure and ayde of men of warre and archers promysynge that yf the kynge of Englande wolde come in too Bretayne or elles one of his vncles with a grete puyssaunce of men of armes and of archers howe that his countrey of Bretayne sholde be opened redy to receyue hym and his company ¶ The kynge of Englande and his counsayle were gladde of those tydynges thought them good and concluded to sende thyder theÌ„ prouysyon was made and thyder was sente the erle of Buckyngham with .iii. M. men of armes and .viii. M. archers who aryued at Calays and passed throughe the royalme of Fraunce without ony resystence as it hathe ben shewed here before demaundynge noo thynge but batayle and so they came in to Bretayne trustynge to haue founde the countrey redy open for them to receyue and to refresshe them for â—â—rely they had made a longe voyage Howbeit they founde it contrary dysposed for the duke of Bretayne was soo ledde by his men and so wysely entreated that they made a peas bytwene hym and the yonge Charles kynge as then in fraunce but with kynge Charles his fader he coulde neuer haue peas he hated hym soo sore The duke of Borgoyne who was one of the chese gouernours in the royalme of Fraunce ayded gretely to make this peas he was so desyred by the lady his wyfe bycause the duke of Bretayne was nere of theyr lygnage soo he was fayne to breke all his promyses with the Englysshmen for he coulde not be suffred to accomplysshe his couenaunt for the Bretons wolde not consent to yelde them to the kynge of Englande to make warre agaynst Fraunce they sayd they were neuer of that oppynyon nor neuer wolde be so that it behoued the Englysshmen to take theyr lodgynges in the marches of wannes where they suffered as moche pouerte as euer dyd men for one tyme and specyally theyr horses dyed for hungre and pouerte and soo in the tyme of somer they departed out of Bretayne as euyl contente with the duke of Bretayne as myght be and not without a cause And specyally the erle of Buckyngham and the barons of Englande that were in his company and when they were retourned in to Englande they made grete complayntes to the kynge and to the duke of Lancastre and his counsayle And then it was deuysed and ordeyned that IohnÌ„ of Bretayne sholde be delyuered and to brynge hym with puyssaunce in to Bretayne to make warre there agaynst the duke of Bretayne and the Englysshe men sayd howe syr IohnÌ„ of Mountforde knewe well howe they had put hym in possessyon of the sygnory of Bretayne for without vs he hadde neuer come therto And nowe to play vs this tourne to cause vs to trauayle our bodyes and to spende the kynges treasoure it behoueth vs to shewe hym his fawtes And we can not better be reuenged then to delyuer his aduersary and to brynge hym in to Bretayne For all the countrey wyll delyuer hym townes Cytees and fortresses and put the other duke clene that thus hathe mocked and dysceyued vs. ¶ Thus the Englysshe counsayle were all of one accorde and then IohnÌ„ of bretayne was brought in to the kynges presence and there it was shewed hym howe they wolde make hym duke of Bretayne and recouer for hym all his herytage of Bretayne And he sholde haue to his wyfe the lady Phylyp of Lancastre so that he wolde holde the duchy of Bretayne in fayth and homage of the kynge of Englande the whiche poynte he vtterly refused But to take the dukes doughter in maryage he was contente But to swere to be agaynst the crowne of fraunce in noo wyse he wolde consente but rather to abyde in pryson all his lyfe WHen the kynge and his counsayle sawe that they withdrewe the grace that they hadde thought to haue shewed to hym and thenne he was delyuered in to the kepynge of syr Iohan Dambretycourte as ye haue herde before I haue made as nowe relacyon of all these matters bycause of the incydentes that folowed after and appered by the duke of Bretayne for the duke knewe well howe he was gretely out of the fauoure of the noble men of the royalme of Englande and also of the comons there And he ymagened that the hatred that they bare to hym was for the voyage that the erle of Buckyngham hadde made thrughe Fraunce to come in to Bretayne wenynge to haue founde the duke there and countrey open agaynst them as the duke of Bretayne hadde promysed whiche the Englysshe men founde contrary ¶ Also he sawe well howe the kynge of Englande hadde not wryten vnto hym soo amyably as he hadde done often tymes before And specyally as he hadde done before the erle of Buckynghams voyage ¶ And also he doubted that the kynge of Englande sholde delyuer Iohan of Bretayne to the entente to make hym warre ¶ Thenne the duke cast his ymagynacyon how he myght fynde remedy in this matter and to brynge it in to a good poynte And to doo his entente soo secretly that the Englysshe men sholde be well content and pleased with hym For he knewe well the man in the
of Englande dukes erles barons and counsayle of the good townes Than it was sayde to hym Sir Symon ye haue alwayes ben a notable knight in the realme of EnglaÌ„de and ye were well beloued with my lorde the prince And ye and the duke of Irelande haue had in a maner the gouernynge of the kyng We haue sene all your maters and well examyned them the whiche be nother good nor faire which gretly displeaseth vs for your owne sake It is clerely determynyd by the hole generall counsayle that ye must go to prison in to the towre of London there to remayne tyll ye haue brought into this chambre the money of the kynges and of the realmes that ye haue gathered the whiche as it apereth by the treasourers rolles draweth to the some of two hundred and fyfty thousande frankes Nowe loke what ye wyll say Than syr Symon was halfe discomforted and said Sirs I shall with a good wyll And also it behoueth me so to do to fulfyll yoâ— coÌ„maundement I shall go where as ye commaunde me But my lordes I require you let me haue a clerke assigned to me that he maye write all suche expenses as I haue layde oute in tyme past in Almayne in Beame in procurynge the kinges maryage And if there be any reast I beseche you let me haue the kynges grace and yours that I may haue reasonable dayes to pay it Sir quod the lordes we are content Thus syr Symon Burle was in prison in the towre of London THan the constable spake of ser Willyam Helmon and of sir Thomas Tryuet for they were nat greatly in the fauour of some of the barones of Englande nor of the commontie of the realme for the vyage that they made in to Flaunders For it was sayd that neuer Englysshmen made so shamefull a vyage The bysshoppe of Norwyche and sir Hughe Caurell that was as than capitayne of Calais were excused layde to the others charge howe they hadde taken money for the gyueng vp of Burbourcke and Grauelyng Some sayd that that dede was trayson they were sent for and sir Wylliam Helmon came but sir Thomas Tryuer was excused I shall shewe you howe ¶ The same weke that he was sente for beyng in his owne house in the Northe ê‘te he rode out into the feldes vpon a yonge horse that he hadde and spurred hym so that the horse ranne awaye with hym ouer busshes and hedges and at laste fell in a dyke and brake his necke and so sir Thomas Triuet dyed whiche was great doÌ„mage and his dethe was greatlye complayned with many good menne of the realme yet for all that his heyres were fayne to paye a certayne somme of Floreyns to the Counsayle to the kynges behoue as they sayde But the chiefe encytyng of those maters came by the kynges vncles and by the generall counsayle of the couÌ„trey as it appered after in Englande For of trouthe thoughe the duke of Gloucestre was the yongest brother in age yet he was moost auncyent in the busynesse of the realme for he drewe to that opinyon that moost of the noble menne and prelates and the commons helde Whan that sir ThemÌ„s Tryuettes coÌ„posicion was made after his dethe by the maner as ye haue herde here before therby the penauÌ„ce of sir Wylliam Helmon was greatly asswaged He entred with the counsayle and by the meanes of the valyantnesse of his body and the good seruyce that he had done dyuers tymes for Englande as well in Bourdeloyes as in Guyen and in Picardye where he was alwayes proued a good knight There was nothynge layde to his reproche but takynge of the money for the delyuerauÌ„ce of Burborcke and Grauelynge Than he excused hymselfe with fayre and swete wordes and made dyuers reasonable reasons sayd My lordes who so euer were in lyke case as we were in that tyme in the garyson of Bourburke I thynke wolde do as we dyd I haue herde sir IohnÌ„ Chandos and sir Gaultier of Manny say dyuers tymes who were right wyse and of gret valure Howe that a man ought of two or iii. wayes chose the best waye and wherby most to endomage his enemyes And thus sir Thomas Tryuet and I beyng in the garysons of Bourburke and Grauelyng and sawe howe we were enclosed on all parties and no conforte aperyng to vs from any parte And parceyued well howe we coulde nat endure many assautes for they that laye about vs were as chosen men of armes as euer I sawe or I trowe any other Englysshemenne For as I knewe iustely by the reporte of our harraude they were at leest a syxtene thousande men of armes knyghtes and squyers and a .xl. thousande of other And we were nat paste a thre hundred speares and as many archers And also our garysone was of suche cyrcuyte that we coude nat enteÌ„de on euery place And that we well ê‘ceyued by an assaut that was made vs on a daye For whyle we were at oure defence on the one parte they caste in fyre on the other parte wherby we were gretly abasshed and that our ennemyes right well parceyued And therfore to saye the trouthe the Frenche kyng and his counsaile wrought by great geÌ„tylnesse seyng the case that we were in to gyue vs trewse For if they had gyuen vs another assaute the nexte daye as they were ordayned to do I thynke they hadde taken vs at their pleasure yet for all this they courtesly treated with vs by the meanes of the duke of Bretayne who tooke great payne in that mater And where as we shulde haue gyuen theym money for our raunsommes if we hadde ben taken as it was lykely they gaue vs money wherby we dyde them dommage and it was in them to haue endomaged vs. We thought we conquered greatly on them whan we had of their money and departed oure selfe safe and withoute trouble and hadde with vs all that we had won in all the warre tyme on the fronters of FlauÌ„ders And my lordes besyde that to pourge me of all blame if there be any ê‘sone in Englande or without knight or Esquyer Except the ê‘sons of my lordes the dukes of LaÌ„castre yorke Glocester that wyll saye and abyde therby that I haue done any vntrouthe to the kynge my naturall lorde or accuse me of any trayson I am here redye to receyue his gauge and to putte my body in aduenture by dedes of armes to proue the coÌ„trarye as the Iudge therto assigned shall ordayne These wordes and suche other and the valyauntnesse of the knighte excused hym greatlye and saued hym frome the parell of dethe And afterwarde he retourned agayne in to his fourmer estate and was after that a ryght valyaunt knyght and auaunsed in to the kynges Counsayle But as at that tyme sir Symon Burle was nat delyuered out of prisone for the kynges vncles hated hym gretlye and soo dyde all the commontie of Englande The kyâ—ge dyde all that he myght to haue hadde hym delyuered all the
his leaue departed and rode to Chasteaulx and iourneyed so long that he came to the cite of Naūtes and there refresshed hym And than he demaūded where the duke was and it was shewed hym howe he was in the marches of Wēnes therefoūde the duke who receyued him ioyously for they were nere cosyns togider The erle of Stampes who right well coude acquyte hymselfe amonge great princes and ladyes for he had been brought vp amonge theym in his youthe acquytedde hym selfe right sagely with the duke And shewed nat the princypall affectyon of his corage at his fyrste commynge but dissymuled two or thre dayes and whan he sawe his tyme he humyled hym selfe greatlye to the duke the rather therby to drawe hym to his entent and than sayd Sir and my right dere cosyn ye ought nat to marueyle thoughe I am come so farre of to se you for greatlye I haue desyred it And than notably he shewed hym the charge that he hadde to saye to hym on the behalfe of the duke of Berrey of the whiche wordes the duke made light And for resolucion of answere at that tyme the duke sayde Cosyn we knowe well this that ye haue sayde is trewe I shall remembre me and ye shall abyde here with vs as long as it shall please you for your comyng dothe vs great pleasure Other aunswere the erle coulde nat haue as at that tyme. The erle taryed there a fyftene dayes and the duke shewed hym gret loue and shewed hym the fayre castell of Ermyn whiche was nere to Wannes the whiche the duke had newely made and there he toke parte of his pastaūce And alwayes whanne he sawe a conuenyente tyme he shewed swetely and sagely the cause of his comyng And euer the duke aunswered hym so couertly that the erle coulde haue no suretie in any aunswere to make any restytucion of a hundred thousand frankes nor of the castels that he helde of the constables the whiche yet at the ende he dyd and that was without request of any persone whan it was leste loked for as I shall shewe you hereafter as I was enfourmed Whan the erle Stampes sawe that he laye there in vayne than he thought to take his leaue and to retourne in to Fraunce and so he dyd The duke gaue hym leaue and at his departynge gaue hym a fayre whyte palfrey aparelled and it had ben for a kynge and gaue hym a fayre rynge with a stone well worthe a thousande frankes Thus the erle departed and retourned by Anger 's and there founde the quene of Napoles and Iohan of Bretayne who greatly desyred to here tydynges and sayd Fayre cosyn I thynke ye haue sped well for ye haue taryed longe out Than the erle shewed parte of his busynesse but fynally howe he had spedde nothynge Whan he had taryed there a day he departed and went to Towrs and at last came in to Berrey and founde the duke at Mehyn a castell of his whiche he had newly made and had workemen dayly theron Whan the duke of Berrey sawe the erle of Stampes he made hym good chere and demaunded tydinges of Bretayne There he declared fro poynt to poynte all that he had sente and herde and sayde howe in no wyse he coulde breke the duke of Bretayne fro his purpose The duke of Berrey passed the mater lyghtly whan he sawe it wolde be none otherwyse And so retourned in to Fraunce to the king and to the duke of Burgoyne his brother and shewed theym howe he had sente in to Bretaygne to the duke his cosyn the erle of Stampes and declared in euery poynt howe he had spedde Thus the mater rested whan they sawe none other remedy ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe after the departynge of the duke of Lācastre all that euer he had wonne in Galyce the frenchmen recouered it in lesse than fyftene dayes and howe the englisshmen that had ben there ī that warre defamed and spake yuell of the coūtrey of Galyce and howe the frenche kynge sent for the duke of Irelande Ca. C.xxiiii IT hath been resyted here before in this hystory howe the englisshmen dyd in Galyce howe the duke and the duchesse and his doughter came to the Porte of Portyngale and there taryed a season with kynge Iohan of Portugale and with the yonge quene doughter to the duke of Lancastre as ye haue herde here before It anoyed greatly the duke and nat without a cause in that he had done nothynge for his profyte all that season in Castyle but that he hadde done was to his great domage his men deed of sykenes of the best of his company knyghtes and squyers And suche conquest as he hadde made with great payne and cost he sawe well it shulde besoone recouered agayne by the kynge of castell And in dede so it was for as sone as he was departed and entred in to Portugale and that the spanyardes and knyghtes of Fraunce suche as were taryed there with syr Olyuer of Clesquyn constable of Castyle sawe that the duke of Lancastre was departed and that in maner all his englysshe men were departed fro hym Than they sette forwarde to reconquere agayne all that had ben loste of the realme of Castyle the whiche was sone done for they of the townes castels cyties in Galyce had rather to haue ben vnder the obeysaunce of the kynge of Castyle than vnder the duke of Lancaster without he had been able to haue kepte the felde to haue defended the countrey For they of Castyle Lombardy and of Italy of vsage euer they saye Lyue he that is strongest and he that wynneth All that euer the duke of Lancastre had wonne fro the feast of Easter to the begynnynge of Iuly all was wonne agayne and refresshed with newe frenchmen and men of Castyle and the englysshmen that were left there by the duke in garysons who thought to haue taryed there peasably all the wynter were sone put out outher by fayre meanes or perforce and some slayne suche as wolde nat yelde vp and some returned by sauecōducte to passe by Portugale so to Bayon or to Burdeaux And of all this the duke of Lancastre was well aduertysed he beynge in the cytie of Porte in Portugale but he coude nat remedy it whiche was ryghtsore dypleasaunte to his herte It is nat to be beleued the contrary for the more noble valyaunt and sage that a man is displeasures to hym be the more bytter and paynefull howe be it the duke wolde say often tymes and bare out a good face If we haue lost this yere by the grace of god a nother season shall be for vs. the fortunes of this worlde are meruaylous they can nat be always permanente Also the kynge of Portugale gaue hym alwayes good comforte and sayde Syr ye may abyde here and kepe your astate and wryte to youre bretherne and frendes in Englande that they maye sende you this nexte Marche a fyue or syre hundred speares and two thousande archers and I shall
Guerlâ—s 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 LaÌ„castre 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 ê‘sons somtyme good somtyme yuell whan it is lest thought on For whan the duke of Lancastre departed out of the realme of Englande acoÌ„panyed 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 soÌ„e there and hoped of no conforte out of EnglaÌ„de 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 sâ—â—uiers at the ende all were slayne and lost Thus the duke of Lancastre reckoned his vâ—yage 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 coÌ„forte 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
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
haue repealed therle of Derby agayne in to the Realme but the kyng had no mynde so to do for he dyd clene the contrary for incontynent he sente his offycers in to all the duke of Lācasters landes and toke the profites therof to hym selfe and sayd that as longe as therle of Derby stode as a banysshed man that he nor none of his shulde receyue any reuenues of any landes within the realme of Englande And moreouer wherof the kyng was greatly blamed of suche as loued the erle and his chyldren The kyng gaue awaye landes parteynynge to the herytage of the duchy of Lancastre to some of his seruauntes suche as asked them for the whiche cause many knyghtes other in Englande spake and said The kyng sheweth well that he oweth no good wyll to his cosyn the erle of Derby sythe he wyll nat repeale hym home agayne and suffre his landes to be gyuen awaye where as therle and his chyldren shulde be great membres in Englande a good staffe for the kyng to leane by But he dothe the contrary for he driueth hym awaye so wyll kepe hym in this daūger and worse if he coude For he hath taken to hym selfe his heritage and causeth his offycers to medell with the dukes landes as thoughe they were his owne And if that poore tenauntes complayne of the iniuryes done to them in their lordes absence they can nat be harde there is none that wyll do them right Also it is but a small token of loue that the kyng beareth to the erle of Derby and to his chyldren for their herytage of Lācastre whiche shulde come to thē by right enherytaūce discended fro their grandame the lady Blanche doughter to duke Henry of Lancastre The kyng gyueth parte therof away where as it pleaseth hym suche landes as shulde fall to them by the right of the lady their mother who was doughter to the erle of Herforde and Northampton and cōstable of Englande The kynge gyueth parte therof at his pleasure This is to moche done agaīst all ryght and reason and to the displeasure of all the noble men of Englande this can nat longe endure vnamended Thus the prelates noble men and commons in Englāde cōmuned and murmured IN lykewise in the realme of Frāce suche men of honour as herde spekynge of this mater and hadde sene erle of Derby at Parys hadde great marueyle therof and sayd one to another As we thynke the kynge of Englande hath takenne to great a displeasure with his cosyn the erle of Derby who is the greattest man in Englad next hym selfe He is a gracious knyght curtesse meke and tretable and a man good to be spoken vnto The kyng of Englande knoweth some other thynge by hym than we do or elles the kynge is yuell counsayled And it is marueyle that the Frenche kynge and his brother the duke of Orlyaunce and the kynges vncles do nat attemper the mater for the erle is daylye amonge theym They shulde fynde best prouisyon in this case for the kynge of Englande wyll do more for thē than for any men bicause he hath maried the Frenche kynges doughter But sythe they do nothynge therin it is best we holde oure peace and lette it passe As for the Frenche kynge his brother and his vncles thought nothyng but good They honoured and loued greatly the erle of Derby and desyred moche his company and they sawe well he was a wydower and to marry and that the duke of Berry hadde a doughter a wydowe of two husbandes she was but yonge of a xxiii yere of age was named Mary Her fyrst husbāde was Loys of Bloys who died yonge and her secōde husbande was the lorde Philyppe of Arthoys erle of Ewe who died in his retourne in Hungry as ye haue herde here before This maryage was at apoynt to haue concluded for they in Fraūce knewe well that the duke of Lancastre was a great enherytoure in Englande and the Frenche kynge was well pleased therwith bycause his doughter was Quene of Englande for he thought that the company of those two ladyes togyder shulde be great pleasure to thē bothe sythe they were so nere of blode And therby the two realmes of Fraunce and Englande shulde be the surer conioyned toguyder in loue and peace whiche was trewe if it might haue been accomplysshed but kyng Richarde of Englande his coūsayle brake all that mater for the fortunes of this world whiche are marueylous nor a thynge that shall be canne nat be eschewed The whiche fortune of this kynge Richarde was so marueylous that it is harde to thynke theron The kynge myght well haue remedyed the mater if he had wolde but that that shall be shal be I shall shewe you what I Iohan Froissarte auctour of this hystorie Herde whan̄e I was but yonge in Englande in a place called Bertamstede whiche as at that tyme parteyned to the price of Wales father to this sayde kynge Rycharde it was in the yere of grace a thousande thre hundred thre score and two And bycause the same tyme the prince and the princes shulde departe out of Englande to go in to Acq̄tayne to kepe their estate there Kyng Edwarde his father and quene Phillyppe my maistres and Lyon duke of Clarence Iohan duke of Lancastre the lorde Edmonde who was after Erle of Cambridge and duke of yorke their chyldren were come to the said maner place to se the prince and princes or they departed And as than I was of the age of .xxiiii. yere and one of my said lady the quenes clerkes of her chambre And as I satte on a benche I herde a knyght talkyng and deuysinge among dyuers ladyes and damoselles of the Quenes and sayde to them There is a booke in this countrey called the Brust many men saye it is of marueylous prophycies But accordynge to that booke the realme and crowne of Englande shulde nat retourne to the price of Wales nor yet to the duke of Clarence nor that they shulde be kynges of England though they were sonnes to kyng Edwarde but this knyght sayd that accordyng to that boke the crowne of Englande shulde come to the house of Lancastre The same season whan this knyght spake these wordes this sayd Hēry erle of Derby was nat borne nor yet seuyn yere after but yet in my dayes the same wordes tooke effecte for I sawe after the same Henry erle of Derby kynge of Englande ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of a treatie of a maryage bytwene the erle of Derby and the duke of Berries doughter and howe kyng Rycharde of Englande dyde lette it by the erle of Salisbury Capi. CC .xxxvi. AS soone as kyng Rycharde kyng of Englande herde of the treatie of the maryage bytwene the erle of Derby and the duke of Berryes doughter that the parties were nerehāde accorded he toke those newes to great dyspleasure and sayd to the erle of Salisbury in whom he had great affyaunce ye must or dayne you to go in
of his house wher me was bycause I had brought with me a boke whiche I made at the conteÌ„placion 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 houÌ„des 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 ê‘sons 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 accoÌ„pt to hym by rolles and bokes written and thaccoÌ„ptes 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 adueÌ„tures 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 instrumeÌ„tes 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 chaÌ„bre 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 couÌ„tre 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 LaÌ„gue 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 demauÌ„ded Ther I enqÌ„red howe Gascon therles son died for ser Espayn of Leon wolde nat shewe me any thing therof somoch I enqÌ„red that an auÌ„cient squyer a notable maÌ„shewed 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 soÌ„me 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 mouÌ„teth to fyftie thousande fraÌ„kes whiche ye shulde put in to the haÌ„des 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 FrauÌ„ce to the suffer of the duke
thought it had ben golde or precyous stones that Lamorabaquin had sente to hym to drawe hym therby to consente to suffre hym to haue fre passage thrugh his couÌ„trey howbeit he sayd to hymselfe that he wolde neuer be corrupted for no maner of ryches that sholde be presented to hym TheÌ„ these messagers came before the erle sayd syr of Lazaran vnderstaÌ„de we be sente fro the hyghe redoubted lorde souerayne kynge Lamorabaquin lorde of Turkye with the apertenauÌ„ces we say to you on his behalfe that he coÌ„mauÌ„deth you to come to his obey saunce in lyke maner as ye knowe that your neyghbours haue done as the lorde de la Palice the lorde of Haulte lodge the lorde of Satalie haue done to hym homage that ye open to hym the passages of your countrey yf ye thynge to lyue in rest in your so doynge ye shall deserue gretely his grace loue yf ye rebell and disobey we are charged to say to you that our lorde Lamorabaquin wyl brynge in to your couÌ„trey mo meÌ„ of armes then there be graynes of mylle in this sacke therw t they opened the saâ— shewed hym what was wtin it when the erle of Lazaran vnderstode the ambassadoure of LamorabaÌ„quin determyned in hymselfe to answere temporatly wolde not dyscouer his thought sodaynly but sayd close vp the sacke I se ryght wel what is therin I haue well harde what thynge Lamorabaquin demaundeth of me wtin these .iii. dayes I shall make you an aÌ„swere for his request demauÌ„deth couÌ„sayl they answered sayd syr ye speke wel so trustyng to haue anâ—swere they taryed there .iii. dayes Now shall I shewe you what the erle of Lazaran dyd in the space of these .iii. dayes he sent ê“uyded in to the castell mo then .ii. M. capoÌ„s heÌ„nes closed theÌ„ vp in to a house wtout ony maner of mete so that in .iii. dayes they etc no thynge And when the daye came that he wolde answere the ambassadours theÌ„ he sent for them in to a galary lokynge downe in to a courte sayd syrs come hyder and leane here with me I shal shewe you a newe thynge so answere you they knowynge not what he wolde doo leaued downe in a wyndowe by hym then the gates were closed the courte was grete so his men were redy to doo as he had ordeyned then they opened a chambre dore or II. where as all the pollayne were that had eten no mete of .ii. dayes before Then the seruauntes toke the grayne that was in the sacke cast it all aboute before the capons hennes so that within halfe an houre al the corne was eteÌ„ vp clene wolde haue eten more yf they had had it then the erle sayd to the messagers syrs ye haue sene howe this grayne whiche you haue brought hyder from your mayster is clene eten deuoured and brought to no thynge by these pollayne and yet they wolde ere more yf they had it that is truesyr sayd they wherby speke you that I say sayd the erle your answere lyeth therin as by ensaÌ„ple ye haue sene Lamoraba quin sayth that yf I obey hym not he wyl brynge in to my lande men of armes without nombre wherfore say vnto hym fro me I wyl abyde it he shall not brynge so many but they shal be al deuoured as this corne is deuoured by this pollayne WHen the ambassadours harde this an swere they were ryght pensyue so toke theyr leue departed dyde so moche by theyr iourneys that they came to Lamorabaquin shewed hym what the erle sayd saynge by semynge he set but lytell by his manassyng with this answere Lamorabaquin was sore dyspleased sayd howe the matter sholde not rest so but whether the erle wolde or not he wolde entre in to his couÌ„tre in to huÌ„gery how he wolde dystroy the erles countrey by cause he answered hym so presumptuously ¶ Nowe shall I shewe you what the crle dyd for he sawe well he was defyed of Lamorabaquin knew wel he sholde shortely here other tydynges of hym therfore he made prouysyon to defende hym wrote to al knyghtes squyers to other to come to hym to stoppe the entre of Lamorabaquin in to Hungery coÌ„maundynge euery man after the syght of his letters to drawe to hym certefyenge theÌ„ howe Lamorabaquin was as then in the playnes of Haulte loge all suche as the erle sente for obeyed wyllyngly so came to the erle to defende crysten dome dyuers came to hym that were not sente for suche as harde therof to exalte crysten faythe to dystroy the infydelles Also the erle Lazaran caused forestes hyghe trees to be heweÌ„ downe and layde trauers one ouer another wherby the Turkes sholde not fynde out ony newe way then he with all his power came to a certayne passage where as Lamorabaquin sholde passe to entre in to Hungery the erle had with hym a .x. M. men of Hungery x M. crosse bowes dyd set theÌ„ on bothe sides of the way And also he had redy .ii. M. meÌ„ of the countre hauynge grete axes to cut downe the trees when he wolde haue them when al this was done then he sayd to them that were aboute hym syrs without doubte Lamorabaquin wyl come syth he sente me worde he wolde do so therfore syrs quyte yourselfe well valyauntly to kepe defende this passage for yf that Turkes wynne it al Hungery is in grete peryll to be lost we be here in a stronge place one of vs is worth .iiii. of them also we were better to dye with honoure in defendynge our herytages the fayth of Iesu cryst theÌ„ to lyue inshame seruage vnder the dogges infydels thoughe Lamorabaquin be a noble wyse man in his lawe syr sayd they we shal abyde yâ— aduenture with you let the Turkes come when they wyll we shall be redy to receyue them of this ordenaunce passage the Turkes knewe nothyng for the erle of Lazaran for doubte of spyes had set men suche as he trusted as well as hymselfe to kepe the passages that no maÌ„ sholde go to the Turkes nother day nor nyght LAmorabaquin forgate not his entrepryse but sayd how he wolde go vysyte the lande of the erle of Lazaran to his grete domage for he wolde not be reputed for a lyer in that he had promysed so he toke .lx. M. of his meÌ„ set ouer theÌ„ .iiii. capytaynes of his house holde as the duke of Mansyon of Mecque the keper of Danâ—et Alphalorâ— of Samarie the prynce of Corde called Brachyn at theyr departynge he sayd to theÌ„ syrs go your waye with your coÌ„pany ye be suffycyent to open the passages in to HuÌ„gery entre in to the laÌ„de of the erle of Lazaran dystroye it as soone as I may know the ye be there I shal come thyder to you with all the
euery thyng be auoyded in to the good townes in to stronge castelles bytwene this the feest of all sayntes elles let it be forfayte abandoÌ„ tt to your meÌ„ of warre who so euer can catche it or at the furchest by the feest of saynt Andrewe it were better your owne meÌ„ had the profyte ther of rather then your enemyes syr sende specyally certayne persones of your counsayle to the frensshe kyng certefyeng hym what case you your countrey is in thus syr sende to the kyng his vncles the duke of Berrey the duke of Borgoyne shewyng theÌ„ surely that by all lykelyhode in this nexte somer ye shal haue the grettest war that euer was made in spayne other by the prynce or by ony other syr wryte pyteous letters desyrynge the kynge his vncles to coÌ„forte you in this your grete nede with some good meÌ„ of armes to resyst your enemyes to kepe defâ—de your royalme there is grete alyaunces all redy bytwene the frensshe kynge you in lykewyse was by hym your fader syr surely in no wyse the frensshe kyng the noble royalme of frauÌ„ce whiche may do more in dede theÌ„ englande Portyngale ioyned togyder in this case wyll not fayle you for wheÌ„ the freÌ„sshe kyng his couÌ„sayle be iustly enfourmed of euery thynge ye shal wel perceyue they wyl take suche regarde therto that ye shal take but lytell domage by this war for knightes squyers of frauÌ„ce desyring to auaunce theyr dedes with a lytell worde or coÌ„mauÌ„dement wyll drawe in to these partyes to fynde dedes of armes for as nowe they wote not where to employ theyr tyme better for frauÌ„ce flauÌ„ders as now be accorded whiche hath ben at war a long season also there is a truce bytwene frauÌ„ce englaÌ„de as beyonde the ryuer of Loyre to endure to the feest of saynt IohnÌ„ baptyst therfore syr ye shal se knyghtes squyers of frauÌ„ce come hyder in good nombres as well to fynde dedes of armes as to se this couÌ„trey to mete the englysshmeÌ„ but syr we couÌ„sayle you for your ê“fyre that al these smal holdes chyrches mynsters steples abrode in the couÌ„trey let theÌ„ de put downe if ye thynke to haue ioy of the resydue theÌ„ the kyng of Castel sayd syrs ye couÌ„sayle me truely thus wyll I do fro hence forwarde theÌ„ without takyng of ony further couÌ„sayle he coÌ„maunded al suche holdes as were of no grete strength to be beten downe abandoned to the frensshe knyghtes al that they founde in theÌ„ to se that it were done as they had deuysed syrsayd they that is wel sayd syr we shal se it accoÌ„plysshed shal helpe to saue all the resydue this worde that the kyng of Castel sayd to theÌ„ of frauÌ„ce the auctorite that he gaue to theÌ„ was wel worth to theÌ„ CC.M. frankes of profyte specyally to theÌ„ that came fyrst in to Castell wheÌ„ the duke of LaÌ„castre aryued at coulongne Thus thrughout al the royalme of Castel al smal holdes chyrches steples suche as were not sufficyent to be kepte were put downe all the goodes in theÌ„ abandoned to the meÌ„ of warre so the people of the countrey were atrapped begyled suche as had fortefyed suche places put in theÌ„ theyr goodes as wyne cornâ— flesshe other thiÌ„ges thynkyng there to haue kepte theÌ„ sure but it fell the coÌ„trary for knyghtes squyers sente thyder theyr meÌ„ toke al brought suche prouysyon as they fouÌ„de there to theyr maysters lodgynges but as for golde syluer suche as they fouÌ„de suche money as they made the vylaynes to pay for theyr owne goodes that money neuer came to no knowledge for that they kepte styll in theyr purses some of the poore coÌ„panyons suche as were more subtyl theÌ„ other moost aduentured therby wan moost often tymes suche as cometh fro theyr owne howses moost porest in suche cases be sonest mouÌ„ted on good horses genettes .v. or .vi. in theyr stable gyrdelles of chaynes of golde syluer a M. or .ii. M. frankes in theyr purse wheÌ„ they were in theyr owne couÌ„trey were fayne to go a fote or on a nagge thus the coÌ„panyons that came fyrst in to Castel wan moche ryches the poore meÌ„ of the couÌ„trey payde for al for they were robbed ryfled with theyr owne meÌ„ for they wolde not that theyr enemyes sholde haue had ony ê“fyte therof when these tydynges came in to frauÌ„ce to other coÌ„panyons how the pore knyghtes squyers that were gone in to Castell were made so ryche they were the more eger to go out of theyr houses to draw in to spayne coÌ„sideryng how they myght there as well pyll robbe on theyr frendes as on theyr enemyes ¶ Of the grete apparell prouysyon that generally was made in the royalme of frauÌ„ce by the kyng there by his couÌ„sayle for a iourney to be made in to Englande also of the dethe of Frauncis Atreman Ca. lii THe frensshe kyng his counsayle were wel enfourmed of the voyage that the duke of LaÌ„castre sholde make in to Castel or he departed for the voyce flewe quyckely that the royalme of Castel sholde haue moche a do that somer to fynde some remedy theragaynst the duke of Burgoyne made so lyghtly peas with the gauÌ„toâ— se to the entente to ayde the necessyte of the kyng of Castel wherto the frensshe kyng the royal me of frauÌ„ce were bounde for dyuers reasons for by the kyng of Castel his men shyppes on the see the busynes of the royalme of fraunce were in good state also besyde that the yonge kynge Charles of frauÌ„ce had grete affeccyon to go with an army in to the royalme of englande all knytes squyers of frauÌ„ce were well agreed therto specyally his vncle the duke of Burgoyne the constable of fraunce for al that he had to his wyfe the syster of kyng Rycharde of englande also the lorde of Coucy these lordes the most parte of the chyualry of frauÌ„ce sayd why sholde we not ones go into Englande to se the countrey the people there teche them the way as they haue done in fraunce so in the yere of our lorde M. CCC.lxxx.vi what to the entente to breke the duke of Lancastres voyage to cause hym to retourne out of Castel to gyue feare to the englysshmeÌ„ grete ordenauuÌ„ce for that voyage was made in trauÌ„ce taxes tallages set allysed in cytees good townes in the playne countrey that in a C. yere before there was none suche sene also grete apparel made by the see al yâ— somer tyll the moneth of septembre they dyd no thyng elles on yâ— see coost but grynde corne bake bysket at Tournay lysle doway arras Amyas bethune saynt omers in all the townes aboute Sluse for the frensshe kynges entencyon
season that the kynge of Aragon thus dyed there was at Barcelona the archebysshoppe of Burdeaus whome the duke of Lancastre had sente thyder in ambassade I shall shewe yon the cause why ¶ The prynce of wales bycause he was duke and lorde of the countrey of Acquytayne and that all his neyghbours doubted hym as the Frensshe kynge the kynge of Aragon the kynge of Spayne and the kynge of Nauare yea And also kynges that were sarazyns that harde grete spekynge of hym for the good fortune and noble chyualrye that he was of and he hadde a certayne alyaunce and confyderacyon with kynge Peter of Aragon whiche leage was sworne and sealed bytwene them and it was confyrmed by the kynge of Englande fader to the prynce ANd amonge other thynges it was comprysed that the kynge of Englande nor the duke and lorde of Acquytayne sholde make ony warre nor consente to make ony warre agaynst the roayalme of Aragon for the whiche the kynge of Aragon sware and sealed for hym and for his ayres that euery yere he sholde serue the prynce of Acquytayne with the nombre of fyue hundred speres agaynst who so euer he hadde to doo withall or elles to sende vnto hym as moche money as sholde wagâ— fyue hundreth speres ¶ And soo it was that as then there was .x. yeres rynne in aterages that the kynge of Aragon had payde nothyng nor done ony seruyce to the kynge of Englande nor to his deputyes and when the duke of Lancastre wente out of Englande he hadde with hym letters patentes sealed with the grete seale of Englande wherby he was stablysshed to be the kynges Lyeutenaunt in the marches of Burdeaus Bayon and Acquytayne and the kynge gaue hym fall puyssaunce and auctoryroyall to demaunde all ryghtes and due accyons as well of the royalme of Aragon as elles where and wolde that the duke sholde haue yâ— profyte without ony excepcyon and what soo euer he dyd to be ferme and stable so thus wheÌ„ the duke of Lancastre had ben a season in the towne of saynt Iames in Galyce he remembred hymselfe of the busynes of Aragon and perceyued well by reason of his commyssyon howe the kynge of Aragon was sore in his det in a grete some of money longe renne in arerages whiche he thought if he myght gete it sholde gretely ayde hym in his warres of Castell and soo he sente to the archebysshop of Burdeaus and to syr IohnÌ„ Harpedan who was senesshall of all Burdeloys commaundynge theÌ„ bothe or at the leest one of them to go in to Aragon to the kynge there and to shewe hym playnly howe he was in grete arrerages with the kynge of Englande and with the duke of Acquytayne the archebysshoppe and the Senesshall behelde well the duke of Lancastres letters and soo toke counsayle togyder theron and there they determyned that it was best that the Senesshall sholde â—â—ry styll at Burdeaus and the bysshop to take on hym the charge of that voyage and soo he dyd and he came in to Aragon in so euyll a season that the kynge the relaye syke and dyed and after the kynges dethe the archebysshop poursued his cause and folowed the kynges chyldren and the counsayle of the royalme who came to the kynges enterment to the cyte of Barcelona and this bysshop pursued his ambassade so affectuously that he was set in a courtoyse pryson so that he coulde not departe when he wolde when these tydynges came to Burdeaus to the senesshall there he sayd I thought neuer none other wyse for the archebysshop is hasty heedy I thynke nowe it had ben better that I had gone for I wolde haue spoken moore mekely there is a maner thrughout all the worlde howe to demaunde a mannes ryght the senesshall sente these tydynges to the duke of Lancastre in to Galyce who was therwith ryght sore dyspleased and euyll contente with the kynge of Aragon and his counsayle that they had put the archebysshop in to pryson for doynge of his ambassade then the duke of Lancastre wrote to the companyons of the garyson of Lourde that they sholde make warre agaynst them of Barcellona where as the archebysshoppe of Burdeaus was in pryson IOhnÌ„ of Byerne who was capytayne there and senesshall of Bygore Pier Dauchyn Ernalton of Resten Ernalton of saynt Colombe and other of the garyson of Lourde were gretely reioysed when they herde that tydynges and then began to rynne in to the royalme of Aragon to the portes of Barcelona so that no merchaunt durst go abrode ¶ Also in Aragon there was another myschefe for the yonge kynge IohnÌ„ of Aragon wolde haue ben crowned kynge of Aragon but the good townes wolde not consente therto without he sware fyrst solemply that he sholde neuer demaunde tayle taxe nor inposycyon in all the countrey and dyuers other thynges that he sholde swere and put it in wrytynge sealed yf he wolde be crowned kynge whiche thynge semed to hym and to his counsayle to be ryght preiudycyall Wherfore he thretened to make them warre and specyally to them of the cyte of Barcelona for the kynge sayd they were to ryche and to prowde IN the same season there was in Langue docke and on the fronters of Auuergue and of Rouergue to warde Pezanas and the cyte of Duzes a maner of men of armes called the Rowtes they dayly multyplyed to do euyll and .iiii. men of armes were capytaynes who demaunded warre agaynst euery man they cared not agaynst whom theyr names were Peter of Mount fawcon Geffray Chastelyer Hamgue de forge and the goulent They had a foure hundreth men vnder them who ryfled and pylled the countrey where as they were conuersaunt and when they were enfourmed that the archebysshop of Burdeaus was in pryson in Aragon and that the duke of Lancastre was not contente with the Aragonoys and also that the kynge of Aragon was euyll pleased with the good townes of his royalme and countrey And they were of these tydynges gretely reioysed for suche people as they were are rather pleased with euyll dedes then with good They toke counsayle bytwene them determyned to approche to Aragon and to gete some forterers on those fronters thynkynge then that the duke of Aragon or elles some of the good townes wolde entreate with the to theyr profyte So they rode costynge the countrey set theyr myndes to gete yf they myght the castell of Dulcen beynge in the archbysshopryche of Narbone bytwene the royalme of Aragon and Fraunce on the departynge of bothe royalmes they came thyder at suche a poynte and by nyght that they founde it but symply watched nor kepte they dyd soo moche that they wan it were lordes thereof wherby al the countrey was afrayde specyally they of Parpygnen for it was but .iiii. legges thens also they of Lourde gate the same weke a castell in Aragon a .iiii. legges fro Barcelona called the olde castell of Rolbays perteynynge to the countesse of Castell Boze cosyn germayne
smaller fauoure the duke to his demauÌ„de dyssymuled sayd holde your peas syr Olyuer where shalde I gete .iii. or .iiii. M. frankes that is demaunded for theyr raunsomes Syr sayd the constable yf the countrey of Bretayne sawe that you were wel wyllynge to the matter they wolde be contente to pay a taxe â—a fowage to delyuer the pryson ers who are lyke to dye in prison without god helpe them sy-Olyuer sayd the duke as for my countrey of bretayne shall not be taxed for me my cosynes haue grete prynces of theyr lygnage as the frenssh kynge and the duke of Anioy they may helpe to delyuer them for they haue alwayes susteyned the warre agaynst me and when I sware to ayde to theyr delyueraunce myne entencyon was none otherwyse but that the frensshe kynge or theyr kynsmen sholde pay theyr raunsomes the constable coulde gete of the duke none other answere thus as I haue begon to shewe you The constable sawe clerely howe the erle of buâ—kyngham the barons knyghtes of englande suche as hadde ben with hym in the voyage thrughe fraunce so in to Bretayne were nothynge contente with the duke of Bretayne bycause he wolde not open his townes to them lyke as he had promysed when he departed out of Englande but whyles the englysshmen lay before wennes in the subbarbes of Nanibont they endured grete pouerte for they hadde nothynge to ete and theyr horses dyed for fawte of foode The englysshmen were fayne to gather the thystelles in the feldes braye them in a morter tempre it with water and make ther of a paast so bake it to ete suche pouerte they endured and they sayd amonge themselfe the duke doth not acquyte hymselfe nobly agaynst vs syth we haue put hyÌ„ in possessyon of the sygnory of Bretayne and yf we sholde do well we sholde take it fro hym agayne and gete out of pryson IohnÌ„ of Bretayne his aduersary make hym duke the countrey loueth hym better then he that is now duke We can not better be reuenged of hym nor soner to cause hym to lese the duchy of Bretayne the constable of fraunce knewe ryght well what wordes sore murmuracyons the englysshmen had amonge themselfe agaynst the duke of Bretayne wherwith he was nothynge dyspleased for euery euyll worde that they spake he wolde it had ben .xii. Howbeit he made therof no semblaunt no more dyd a squyer of Bretayne to whome he had broken his mynde to go in to englande on his message this squyer was called Rollant and so it was that syr IohnÌ„ of Harleton capytayne of Chyerbourge was with the constable at the castel Iosselyn vnder saufconduyte and there the constable made hym good chere and to his company and kepte the englysshmen as good company as he coulde the rather therby to gete theyr good wylles then the constable squyer auaunced forth spake to syr IohnÌ„ Harleton before the constable sayd syr IohnÌ„ ye sholde do me a grete pleasure to do one thynge for me whiche shall cost you nothynge syr sayd yâ— knyght for the loue of the constable though it be to my cost I am contente to do that I can for you what is that I sholde do syr sayd the squyer that I myght be assured to go in to Englande to semyne olde mayster IohnÌ„ of Bretayne the grettest desyre that I haue in this worlde is to se hym by my fayth sayd syr IohnÌ„ harlton it shal not be let for me but that ye shal go as soone as I am retourned to Chyerbourge I wyll go in to englande ye shal go with me I shal bryng you thyder for your request is not to be refused syr sayd the squyer I thanke you and I repute it for a grete curtoysy Thus this squyer wente with syr IohnÌ„ Harlton to Chyerbourg and when he had made euery thyng redy he departed and entred in to the see with IohnÌ„ Rollant in his company so came to London and brought the squyer to the castell where as IohnÌ„ of Bretayne was who knewe hym not at the fyrst metynge at the last he called hym to his remembraunce so spake togyder there he shewed IohnÌ„ of Bretayne howe that the constable of fraunce dyd wolde do his payne for his delyueraunce howe can that be sayd IohnÌ„ of Bretayne syr sayd yâ— squyer I shall shewe you my lorde the constable hath a doughter to mary so that yf ye wyll swere promyse when ye be retourned in to Bretayne to take her to your wyfe he wyll delyuer you out of englande he hath founde well the meanes how syr howe say you wyll ye do thus ye truely sayd he ye shall retourne to the constable say in my name howe there is nothynge I may doo to be delyuered but I wyll do it as for his doughter gladly I wyll take her to my wyfe thus the squyer IohnÌ„ of Bretayne departed passed out of englande retourned in to Bretayne recorded to the constable all that he had sene harde the coÌ„stable who desyred the aduauncement of his doughter as to be maried so highly as to IohnÌ„ of Bretayne was not neglygent in his busynes studyed for a meane in Englande to brynge aboute his purpose without he had founde out a meanes as he dyd he sholde neuer haue come to his purpose whiche was to gete the erle of Oxenforde on his parte who was most pryuy with the kynge of Englande as then but this matter was not shortly brought to passe for as longe as the duke of Lancastre was in englande and before his iourney in to spayne there was no dyscouerynge to the kynge of the tretye for delyueraunce of IohnÌ„ of Bretayne for when the erle of Buckyngham retourned out of Bretayne the renome ran thrughe al the royalme how the duke of Bretayne had falsely acquyted hym selfe to the Englysshmen wherfore was spoken all the euyll that coulde be deuysed then IohnÌ„ of Bretayne was brought in to the kynges presence and to his vncles then it was sayd to hym IohnÌ„ of Bretayne yf ye wyll releue holde the duchy of Bretayne of the kynge of Englande ye shall be delyuered out of pryson and set in possessyon of the sygnory of Bretayne shall be ryght hyghly maryed in this countrey as ye ought to be for the duke of Lancastre woâ—de haue gyuen hym to his doughter Phylyp in maryage who was after quene of Portyngale IohnÌ„ of Bretayne answered that he wolde neuer agree to that tretye nor neuer wolde be enemye nor contrary to the crowne of Fraunce he sayd he was contente to take the duke of LaÌ„castres doughter in maryage soo he myght be delyuered out of pryson out of englande wheÌ„ they sawe he wolde do none otherwyse he was set agayne in pryson and after the erle or Oxenforde whom we called duke of Irelande sawe that the duke of Lancastre was gone out of englande in to Castell and
a wyse man and a subtell well langaged and amonge other thynges he shewed them howe the frensshe kynge and his counsayle had ben dyspleased with hym without a cause and wrongfully had taken fro hym his herytage and landes in Normandy whiche he ought to haue by successyon of his predecessours kynges of fraunce and of Nauare whiche he sayd he coulde not forgete seynge he had taken fro hym in Normandy Languedoc and in the barony of Mountpellyer the some of .lx. M. frankes of yerely reuenues and he sayd he wyst not to whome to complayne to haue ryght but all onely to god syrs sayd the kyng I say not this to you bycause ye sholde addresse my wronges for I knowe well it lyeth not in your power for I thynke the frensshe kynge wyll do but lytell for you in that behalfe for ye be none of his counsayle ye be but knyghtes aduentures and sowdyours to go where soeuer he sende you But I speke this in maner of complaynte to al knyghtes in Fraunce that passe by me then syr Gaultyer of Passac sayd syr your wordes be true yf that you saye that our kynge for all vs wyll nother gyue nor take for surely syr we be not of his counsayle but redy to go where as he wyll sende vs but syr the duke of Borbon who is our souerayne capytayne and vncle to our kynge cometh after vs this same waye outher goynge or retournynge ye maye shewe hym your busynes by hym ye maye be addressed of all your complayntes and syr we praye to god that he may rewarde you of the honour that ye haue done to vs syr we shall shewe your curtoysye to our kyng to his counsayle when we retourne in to fraunce and also to the duke of Borbone who is our chefe capytayne whome we trust to se or we se the kyng and then wyne was brought and they dranke toke theyr leue of the kynge and the kynge rewarded them largely and sente to eche of them to theyr lodgyng goodly horses wherof they had grete ioye THus these men of warre passed thrugh the royalme of Nauare came to Groyne there demaunded where they sholde fynde the kynge of Castell and it was shewed them howe he had lyen at Valeolyue a grete season but as then they sayd they thought he was at Burgus in Spayne there makynge his prouysyon then they toke the way to Burgus and lefte the way to Galyce for that waye was not sure for them for the Englysshe men were sore abrode in the countrey Tydynges came to the kynge of Castell howe socoures came to hym out of fraunce to the nombre of .ii. M. speres wherof he was ryght glad and so departed fro Valeolyue and rode to Burgus with a .vi. M hors Thus these frensshmen of armes came to Burgus and lodged theraboute abrode in the countrey and dayly thyder came men of warre And syr wyllyam of Lygnac and syr Gaultyer of Passac came to the kynge in to his palays who receyued them swetely and thanked them of the payne and grete trauayle that they had taken for his sake as to come thyder to serue hym The knyghtes made theyr reuerence and sayd syr yf we maye do you ony seruyce to please you our paynes shall soone be forgoten but syr it please you to take aduyse howe we shal do outher to ryde agaynst our enemyes or elles to make them warre by garysons tyll suche season as the duke of Borbon be come and syr yf it please you ye maye sende for syr Olyuer of Clysquy we knowe well he is in his countrey and for syr Peter of Vyllaynes the Barroys of Barres Chatell Morant and the other companyons who haue haunted this countrey more then we haue done for they were here longe before vs and then let vs al counsayle togyder and with goddes grace you and your royalme shal haue honoure and profyte Syrs sayd the kynge ye speke wysely and thus shal it be done Then clerkes were set a worke and letters made and messagers sent forthe in to dyuers places to the knyghtes and men of warre there as they were spred abrode in the countrey when they knewe that syr Wyllyam of Lygnac and syr Gaultyer of Passac were at Burgus with the kynge they were gretely reioyced therof then these knyghtes and other companyons departed fro theyr garysons and lefte them in sure kepynge and so rode to Burgus in spayne soo that there was a grete nombre of Frensshe men of warre THen the kynge of Castel and his lordes knyghtes of fraunce went to couÌ„sayle togyder to se how they sholde maynteyne theyr warre for they knewe well theyr enemyes rode abrode and kepte the feldes wherfore they thought to prouyde some remedy to the honoure of the kynge and profyte of the royalme of Castell So there were many matters debated in this counsayle and then all theyr people were nombred and it was sayd that of the royalme selfe they myght well brynge togyder a .xxx. M. horses and the men well armed after the vsage of Castell with dartes and Iauelyns and foote men castynge stones out of slynges other .xxx. M. The frensshe knyghtes amonge themselfe consydered al this and sayd one to another this is a grete nombre of people and they were good men of warre but they be lytel worth for we haue sene suche slowfulnes in them that we haue no grete trust to them as it appered as well in the batayle of Marres where the prynce of Wales had the vyctory as 〈◊〉 the batayle of Iuberoth where as the Portyngales and Gascoynes were and alwaye the Spanyardes were dyscomfyted Then the erle of Lune in susteynynge the Castellyans in exscusynge of them sayd syrs as to the batayle of Marres I shall answere you it is of trouthe that syr Bertram of Clysquy a grete nombre of knyghtes of Fraunce were there and fought valyauntly for they were all taken or slayne but ye haue herde and ye know well that agaynst them was the floure of all the chyualry of the worlde bothe in wysdome valyauntnes and prowes the whiche is not nowe with the duke of Laâ—castre the prynce at teh batayle of Marres had .x. M. speres and .vi. M. archers they were suche men that there were a iii. M. of them euery man worth a Rowlande or an Olyuere but the duke of Lancastre hathe none suche he passeth not a .xii. or a .xv. C. speres and a .iiii. M. archers and we be a. vi M. speres nor we shall not fyght agaynst Rowlande nor Olyuer Syr IohnÌ„ Chandos syr Thomas Felton syr Olyuer Clysson syr Hughe Caurel syr Rycharde Pountchardon syr Garsis the lorde of Ryeux and syr Rycharde Dangle I coulde name .v. C. suche that were there they be deed we shall fynde none suche nowe Wherfore the matter is not soo peryllous as it was in tyme past for yf ye wyll byleue me we shall go fyght with them and passe the ryuer of Derne it
fell bytwene the duke and hym for ony letters that the duke coulde wryte to hym or for ony desyre or saufconduyte to come and goo saufely yet for all that the constable wolde neuer come in the dukes presence for he durste not trust hym and nowe he is come to his mysfortune for he founde the duke in grete dyspleasure with hym and that was well shewed and when the lorde de la vale beynge bynethe at the stayre foote sawe the dore closed his blood began to trymble and had grete fere of his broder and behelde the duke who waxed pale and grene as a lefe then he knewe that the matter wente amysse and sayd A syr for goddes sake haue mercy what wyll you do take none euyll wyll agaynst the constable syr sayd the duke take ye your horse and departe ye maye goo when ye wyll I knowe well ynoughe what I haue to do Syr sayd the lorde de la vale I wyll not de parte hens without I haue my broder the constable with me with those wordes there came vnto them the lorde of Beawmanoyre whome the duke also hated and he in lyke wyse demauÌ„ded to haue the constable Then the duke drewe his dagger and came vnto hym and sayd Beawmanoyre wylte thou be in the same poynte as thy mayster is in Syr sayd he I trust my mayster is in good case well sayd the duke I demaunde of the yf thou wylte be in lyke case ye syr sayd he Thenne the duke toke his dagger by the poynte and sayd yf thou wylte be in lyke case it behoueth the to put out one of thyne eyen The lorde of Beawmanoyre sawe well the matter wente not well and sawe the duke waxe pale for angre Then he kneled downe on his knee and sayd Syr I repute soo grete noblenes in you that I trust in god and you that ye wyll doo vs ryght we be at your mercy and we are come hyder at your request we trust ye wyll not dyshonour yourselfâ—e to accomplysshe ony euyll wyll that ye haue to vs it sholde be a straunge nouelte Well sayd the duke come on thy waye for thou shalte haue noo more nor no lesse then he shall haue Soo he was ledde in to another chambre and fetered also with thre payre of yrons If he were abasshed he hadde a grete cause for he perceyued well the duke loued hym but lytell nor the constable also but then he had no remedy AN one tydynges spredde ouer the castell and also the towne howe that the constable of Fraunce and the lorde of Beawmanoyre and also the lorde de la Vale were taken prysoners And howe the lorde de la Vale myght departe when he wolde For the duke demaunded no thynge of hym wherof the people hadde grete meruayle and also grete cause why for euery man sayd howe the duke wolde put them bothe to dethe he hated them so mortally The duke was gretely blamed of all knyghtes and squyers that herde therof and they sayd there was neuer a gretter dyffamacyon on ony prynce then was on the duke of Bretayne seynge that he had desyred the constable to dyne with hym and to se his house and to make hym good chere and soo to take hym prysoner they sayd they neuer herde of case lyke wherfore he was infamed and neuer man more dyshonoured nor therby noo man sholde trust in ony prynce syth the duke had dysceyued these noble men what wyll the frensshe kynge say when he knoweth this for by this his voyage in to Englande is broken there was neuer soo grete a shame ymagyned but nowe the duke sheweth what laye in his harte we tro we there was neuer sene in Bretayne case lyke nor in none other place yf a poore knyght had done suche a dede he were dyshonoured for euer in whom sholde a man trust but in his lorde and the lorde sholde maynteyne hym in his ryght and doo hym Iustyce who shall make correccyon of this dede none but the frensshe kynge nowe the duke sheweth playnly howe he is on the englysshe parte wyll susteyne and holde with the oppynyon of the kynge of Englande syth he hath thus broken the voyage by the see that sholde haue gone in to Englande What shall become nowe of the knyghtes and squyers of Bretayne when they shall here these tydynges nothynge but in contynent come fro theyr houses lay syege to the castell of Armyne and close the duke within there tary tyll they haue taken hym outher deed or quycke and lede hym lyke a false prynce to the frensshe kynge Thus the knyghtes and squyers aboute the marches of Wannes spake and comoned togyder and suche as were come thyder to that counsayle with the sayd lordes they were in grete doubte that the duke wolde put them to dethe then some other sayd as for the lorde de la Vale is in no ieopardy he is soo wyse that he wyll tempre the duke in all his busynes and truely so he dyd for and he had not ben the constable had ben deed the fyrst nyght if he had had a. M. lyues IT ought to be byleued that syr Olyuer of Clysson was not at his case when he saw hymselfe soo taken and attrapped and fetered and kepte with .xxx. persones and hadde noo comforte by them for they knewe not the wyll of theyr lorde soo that he rekened hymselfe but as a deed man and also he hadde noo hope to lyue tyll the nexte daye and surely he was in grete daungere for .iii. tymes he was vnfetered and brought to haue ben beheded or elles drowned and surely so he had ben yf the lorde de la vale had not ben but when this lorde de la vale herde the dukes strayte coÌ„maundement to put hym to dethe he kneled downe before hym lyftynge vp his handes sore wepynge and sayd syr for goddes sake take mercy aduyse you shewe not your cruelte agaynst the constable he hath deserued no dethe syr of your grace that it may please you to shewe me the cause of your dyspleasure agaynst hym and syr I swere vnto you ony trespace that he hath done he shall make you suche amendes with his body and goodes or elles I for hym as ye yourselfe shall demaunde or Iudge syr remembre you howe in your yongth ye .ii. were companyons togyder and brought vp bothe in one house with the duke of Lancastre who was soo gentyll a prynce that there was none lyke hym Also syr remembre howe before his peas was made with the frensshe kynge alwayes he truely serued you he ayded you to recouer your herytage ye haue alwayes founde in hym good comforte and couÌ„sayle yf ye be now moued or enfourmed agaynste hym otherwyse then reason sholde requyre yet he hathe not deserued dethe syr de la vale sayd the duke let me haue my wyll for Olyuer of Clysson hath soo often tymes dyspleased me and nowe is the houre come that I maye shewe hym my dyspleasure
henedeth nat to tary here for any warre that is apatente for as for Galice the recouery therof shall be but a small mater for vs. Thus they of the kynges counsayle comuned eche with other and further they said If we ones receyue these people they must be payed of their wages if nat they will pyll and robbe all the realme for the comon people all redy begynneth to complayne therfore we thynke it were best to gyue theÌ„ an honest congy to departe This counsayle was vpholden and the kynge well consented there to for he sawe well it was the most proftye for his people and realme for they coulde take no hurte but it shulde be to his domage and preiudice So that one daye in the kynges presence the archebysshop of Burgus to the duke of Burbon before many of the knightes of Fraunce shewed and declared to theym their ententes as ye haue herde before And the duke of Burbon and dyuers other knyghtes of Fraunce who had rather retourne than to a byde there for the countrey was nat mete for their complerions were well contente to retourne and prepared themselfe thervpon and bycause the duke of Burbone was laste that came he retourned first and toke his leaue of the kynge and said howe he wolde returne by the realme of Nauerre There were great gyftes gyuen him or he departed and might haue had more if he wolde haue taken it but he refused euery thynge except mules and mulâ—tteâ— and dogges of Spayne Than it was publisshed that all frenchmen might at their pleasure departe out of Spayne and retourne in to Fraunce but there taryed styll sir Olyuer of Clesquyn constable of Spayne and the marshals and a thre hundred speares of bretons poicteuyns and xayngtons Thus the duke of Burbone returned Whan he had taken his congy of the kynge and the quene and of other lordes of Castyle he was conueyed to Groyne and so in to Nauarre And where so euer he came he was welcome and well receyued for the duke of Burbone was gracyous curteyse honorable and well renomed And the kynge of Nauer receyued him louyngly and neuer shewed any maner of yuell wyll towardes the frenche kynge in that he had taken a way fro him his enherytauÌ„ce of the countye of Eureur in Normandy for he sawe well the frenche kyng that was as than nephewe to the duke of Burbon was in no defaute therof for whaÌ„ it was done he was but yonge But swetely he shewed the duke all his busynesse desyringe hym to be a good meane bytwene hym and his cosyn the frenche kynge The duke promysed hym so to be Than the duke departed and passed thorough the realme of Nauer peasably and all other suche as wolde passe and thus they passed the mountayns of Rouseaulx all alonge the countrey of Bastelles and so entred in to Bierne and in to Saluaterra ¶ Howe therle of Foize receyued honourably the duke of Burbon and of the great giftes that he gaue him and how sir willyam of Lygnac and sir Gaultier of Passackes coÌ„pany departed out of Spayne and of the incydent that fortuned in the towne of saynt Phagon Cap. C.viii. WHan the Erle of Foyz beynge at Ortays vnderstode that the duke of Burbon was at Saluaterra he was glad therof and sente for his knightê to be aboute him And on a day in great araye he rode with a fyue hundred knyghtes and squyers two leages out of Ortays and mette with the duke of Burbon who in lykewyse rode with a great rout of knyghtes and squiers and there they met amyably as great prynces ought to do And whan they had comuned togyther a certayne space as it was shewed me whan I was at Ortays The erle of Foize drewe hym a parte in the felde with all his company and the duke abode styll in a nother parte Than the Erle sente to the duke thre knyghtes named syr Espayne de Lyon sir Peter Capestan and sir Menaunt of Nowalles And whan they came before the duke they sayd Sir here is a present that my lorde the erle of Foiz hath sent to you at your returnynge out of Spayne for he knoweth well ye haue been at great dyspence Therfore syr he dothe gyue you at your entring in to his countrey of Bierne eyght thousande frankes and this mulette and two coursers and two palfreys Syrs quod the duke I thanke the erle of Foyze But as for the floreyns I wyll take none as for the other presente I wyll receyue them with a good wyll thus the florens were refused and the Mules and horses receyued Than the erle of Foyz came to the duke and brought hym in to the towne of Ortays and lodged him in his owne place all other were lodged in the towne the duke was thre dayes in Ortays and had great there with dyners and suppers And there the Erle of Foize shewed the duke a great parte of his estate On the fourthe daye the duke departed and the erle gaue to the knightes and squiers great gyftes As it was shewed me the comynge thyder of the duke of Burbon coste the erle of Foize ten thousande frankes Thus the duke departed and went in to Fraunce and rode by Mountpelyer by the cytie of Puy and by the countye of Forestes wherof he was lorde by the lady his wyfe FOr all the departyng of the duke of Burben as ye haue herde out of Spayne sir Willyam Lignac and sir Gaultier of Passac departed nat so soone nor the companyes to the nombre of a thre thousande speares and syre thousande of other men of warre and lytell and lytell euer they departed They were many out of wages and wery of the warres and so retourned yuell horsed and yuell aparelled all to torne and ragged The metynge with suche people was nothynge profytable for they vnhorsed whome soeuer they met and made warre to all marchauÌ„tes and to men of the churche and to poore people of the countre where any thinge was to gette These rutters sayde howe the warre had vndone them and howe the kynge of Castyle hadde yuell payed theym their wages wherfore they sayde they wolde pay themselfe And surely suche cyties castels and good townes as were nat stronge in Castyle douted them greatly and agaynst them townes and cyties closed their gates for feare of parels for all was hauocke with them without it were well defended Suche knightes and squyers as came by the erle of Foyze to se hym were well receyued and had gyftes and rewardes gyuen them ryght largely As it was shewed the comyng and retournynge of men of warre that passed by therle of Foize for the sayd iourney coste hym the some of .xl. thousande frankes THis season there fell an incydent in the towne of saynt Phagon in Spaygne after the departynge of the duke of Burbone the whiche coste fyue hundred mennes lyues So it was that whan sir Gaultier of Passar and sir Willyam of Lignac entred firste in to Spayne
had fayre herytage and had the language of that countre And he neuer had wyll to mary in FrauÌ„ce layde his eare glad lye to this treatie and sawe well he myght therby haue great possessioÌ„s 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 couÌ„ties great herytage alwayes his couÌ„sayle 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 ê“fyte 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 laÌ„de 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 treÌ„che 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 reasoÌ„s the one bycause he was alyed by faythe and homage to kyng Richarde of Englande the other was bycause Wyncelant of Boesme duke of LuseÌ„burge 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 ê‘teyned to the duke of guerles and was enherytour to theÌ„ And therfore the yoÌ„g duke WillmÌ„ of Iuliers duke of guerles was sore displeased that he might nat recouer his herytage as long as duke Wyncelant of BrabaÌ„t 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 Bâ—th and Null came to the duke of Brabant and howe the duke of Iuliers susteyned the linfars in his couÌ„tre 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 discoÌ„fyted 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 soÌ„me 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 FaulquemouÌ„t of the whiche laÌ„de he was lorde for the duke was glad to encrese his enheritauÌ„ce 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 noÌ„bre 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 coÌ„maunded 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 yoÌ„der 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 Biâ—â— said to the duke siâ— coÌ„maunde 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 puyssauÌ„ce he wolde haue come to Bruselles and conquered all the couÌ„treye 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 huÌ„dred 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 BrabaÌ„t 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 bouÌ„de 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 soÌ„mer 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 coÌ„maunded 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 senteÌ„ce 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
the duke of Iulyers sware that he shulde neuer beare armure agaynst the Crowne of Fraunce And so as longe as the kyng lyued he kept his othe For surely as long as kyng Charles lyued he dyde hym no maner of domage nor consented to none to be done to the crowne of Fraunce But whan kyng Charles was deed that Charles his sonne was kynge By reason of the warres of Flaunders as it hath been shewed before in this hystorie And after he tooke his Creacyon at Parys He hadde so moche to do that he coude nat take hede in euery place The duof Iulyers than came nat in to Fraunce nor made no relyefe for the landes of Viersone Wherfore the duke of Berrey who toke hym selfe as soueraygne sayde Howe the relefes parteyned to hym And so ceased the landes and toke the profytes therof and by puyssauÌ„ce putte out fro his ryght the Erle of Bloyes Howe be it the same tyme I sawe them bothe oftentymes togyder and neuer debate made bytwene them for any of the sayd landes nor any yuell wyll shewed There was good cause for theym to be frendes toguyder for Loyes sonne to the erle of Bloyes had in maryage the lady Mary doughter to the duke of Berrey The duke of Iuliers wolde gladlye haue entred in to his herytage but he regarded his sonne who shulde be his heyre Therfore he made but lytell counte of the alyaunce that his sonne the duke of Guerles hadde made in Englande And by this reason he spake the wordes that ye haue herde here before to the duke of Guerles whan he was retourned out of Englande Howe be it the duke of Guerles who was yonge and coragyous toke lytell regarde to his fathers wordes and sayde Sir that I haue done I wyll vpholde for I had rather haue warrÌ„ with the Frenche kynge than peace and rather with hym than with a poore man ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the duchesse of Brabante sent messangers to the FreÌ„che kyng complaynyng of the duke of Guerles And howe the kynge his counsayle were sore busyed with insydentes that fell in the realme of FrauÌ„ce as well for the defyances of Guerles as the busynesse in Bretaygne Capi. C.xv. THe duchesse of Brabant beynge at Bruselles was well enformed of all these troubles And howe the duke of Guerles thretned theym of Brabante to make theym warre The duchesse feared the same and sayde Ah god assoyle the soule of my lorde and husbande for if he hadde lyued the Duke of Guerles durst nat haue spoken of any suche matters But nowe bycause I am a woman and aged he wyll make warre agaynst me Than the lady called toguyder her counsaile to knowe what she were best to do for she knewe well the duke was hote hasty and coragyous THe same seasone whyle this ladye was takynge of counsayle with her frendes the Frenche kynge was defyed by the duke of Guerles wherof ranne a great brute throughe all the Realme and in other realmes therto adioynyng They had marueyle of these newes Bycause the duke of Guerles was but a small prince to the regarde of other and but of smalle landes Men spake therof in dyuers maners euery man after his own opynion ThanÌ„e the duchesse counsayle sayde Madame ye haue nede of counsayle And we shall counsayle you to sende to the Frenche kynge and to the duke of Burgoyne be tymes For ye haue herde howe the duke of Guerles hathe defyed the Frenche kynge and all his alyes If he be in purpose to make warre to the realme of Fraunce as the brute ronneth that he wyll bycause the Englysshemen and the almaygnes are of his alyaunce He can haue no better entre in to the realme of FrauÌ„ce than throughe youre countrey Wherfore it is good that the kynge and the duke of Burgoyne be aduertysed therof And that youre castels on the fronters be well fortifyed and garnysshed For there is nat so small an ennemye but he is to be doubted We saye nat that ye shulde haue great nede to seke for any ayde or confore all onely for them of Guerles but it is good to regarde the alyaunces that he maye lightlye gette as well of Englysshe men as of almaygnes who alwayes are couetous and desyreth to make warre to the realme of Fraunce on trust of wynnyng Than the duchesse sayd to her couÌ„sayle sirs ye saye trouthe it shal be as ye haue deuised Than suche as shulde go on that message were apoynted out As the lorde of Bourguenall cheife Stewarde of her house sir Iohan Opeyn a gracyous knyght a clerke and a squyer of honoure The clerke called sir Iohan Grane and the squyer Nycholas de la Monoy All four were of the preuy couÌ„sayle with the duchesse of Brabant They departed fro Bruselles with letters of credeÌ„ce and rode to Parys At that tyme nother the kynge nor the duke of Burgoyne was natte there they were at Rohane in Normandye Than they went fro Parys to Roane where the kynge was WHan these ambassadoures came to Rohane firste they treated with the duke of Burgoyne and he made theÌ„ good chere for he knewe them well they delyuered letters to hym and he receyued and reed them Than whaÌ„ tyme was he brought them to the kynge who for loue of their lady receyued theÌ„ louyngly Than the kyng reed their letters and herde them speke and aunswered and sayde Sirs your wordes and requestes demaundeth counsayle Resorte alwayes to our vncle of Burgoyne he shall here you and dispatche youre busynesse as shortely as maye be Those wordes contented greatly these ambassadours and so went to their lodgynges The kynge and his vncles with other of his counsayle were dayly toguyder in counsaile for dyuers causes and insydentes newe fallen The defyance of the duke of Guerles was nothyng pleasaunt to them nor also they knewe nat what the duke of Bretayne was purposed to do bycause he had taken the constable of Fraunce prisoner and set hym to rauÌ„some to a C.M. frankes and had taken fro him thre castelles a good towne and had greatly fortifyed with men vitayls and artyllary all his garysons and townes had sent dyuers tymes letters and messangers in to Englande to the kyng and to his vncles As for the duke of Lancastre was at that tyme in Galyce The couÌ„sayle of FrauÌ„ce had moche a do to prouyde for euery busynesse wherby it was the lengar or the duches of Brabantes ambassade had their answere Finally the duke of Burgoyn made theÌ„ an answere sayd sirs ye shall retourne to your lady our aunte salute her fro vs and delyuer her these the kynges letters ours shewe her that her businesse is ours and let her nat be abasshed for any thyng for she shal be coÌ„forted in suche wyse that she shall well ê‘ceyue that her countre of Brabant shall take no domage nor reproch This fayre answere contented greatly the ambassadours of Brabant Thus they departed returned to Parys and fro theÌ„s to
many metynges to coÌ„mune toguyder as well of the state of Guerles whyder the kyng had great affection to go as of the duke of Bretaygne whom they coude bring to no reason nor wolde nat obey nor wyste nat whom to sende to hym that he wolde beleue for there hadde ben many valyant men and sage with hym but all that aueyled nothyng for they coude bring nothyng to passe as they desyred wherof the kyng his counsaile was sore troubled For they vnderstode well that the duke of Bretaygne had all that wynter prouyded and fortifyed his townes and castelles and shewed howe by lykehode he hadde rather haue warre than peace and the wysest of the counsayle sayd We speke of goynge in to Almayne but we ought rather to speke of goynge in to Bretaygne and to putte downe the duke there who is so highe mynded that he wyll here no reasone and is alwayes agaynst the crowne of FrauÌ„ce and disdayneth to be obedyent thervnto we shal haue no reason of hym without we force him therto For and if he be suffred he wyll be to presumptuous he feareth no man nor he loueth nor prayseth no man but hym selfe this is a clere case If the kynge go in to Almaygne and leaue his realme bare of men as he muste do if he go thyder The duke of Bretaigne than wyll suffre the Englisshe men to come in to his countrey so entre in to FrauÌ„ce The apparaunce herof is great for there is all redy a great army of archers on the see and they kepe styll on the coste of Bretaygne for if wynde and wether putte theym of yet euer they drawe thyder agayne lyeth there at ancre besemyng taryeng tyll the warre be opyn Wherfore we thynke it were good yet to sende agayne to the duke the bisshoppe of Langers and the erle of saynt Poule for the duke and the erle haue maryed two susters Naye sirs nat so ê™ maister yues who was a very Breton If ye wyll sende to the duke agayne ye can not sende one more agreable to hym than the lorde of Coucy for in lykewyse they haue maryed two susters haue loued marueylously togyder and haue euer written eche to other Fayre brother with the lorde of Coucy sende whom ye wyll well quod the duke of Burgoyne Maister yues sithe ye haue begon name you the rest Sir with right a good wyll sithe it pleaseth you With the lorde of Coucy sende sir Iohan of Vyen and the lorde de la Ryuer These be suche thre lordes as shall bring hym to reason if he wyll euer come to any Thus let it be ê™ the dukes of Berrey and of Burgoyne than they were apoynted and charged what they shulde saye whervpon they shulde groude their mater and to handell hym by fayre wordes Thus they taryed a certayne space or they departed fro Parys The duke of Bretayne knewe well of their comyng or they deê‘ted fro Parys but he coude nat tell whan And he sawe well the mater touched highlye in that the lorde of Coucy came The duke had many ymaginacyons on that mater and discouered his mynde to certayne of his couÌ„sayle as the lorde of Mountbouchier demaunded counsayle of hym and of other and sayd Sirs I here as the brute roÌ„ueth that the duke of LaÌ„castre shulde mary his doughter in to Fraunce to the duke of Berrey and the mater is so forwarde that sir Helyon of Lignacke is goyng to the duke to Bayon the duke greatly enclyneth to this maryage wherof I haue great marueyle for my fayre brother of Lancastre hath nat written to me therof so that I knowe nothyng of the mater but by heryng saye He was nat accustomed so to do for in all his maters touchyng FrauÌ„ce he was wount to write to me than his couÌ„sayle answered and said Sir if it be thus it must behoue you to chauÌ„ge your purpose or els it shal be greatly to your losse and daunger and bring your couÌ„tre in to warre whiche were good to eschewe For ye nede nat to make warre sythe ye maye be in peace yea and desyred therto Also my lady your wyâ—e is great with chylde the whiche ye ought to regarde The kynge of Nauer can but tytell ayde you for he hath ynoughe to do for hym selfe Also the duke of LaÌ„castre who is a sage and a valyant prince as it is sayd shall mary his doughter to the duke of Berrey This shal be a gret begynnyng to entre in to a treatie of peace bytwene Englande and FrauÌ„ce or elles a longe truse And by reason therof ye shall se at the ende the kyng of Castell putte out of his realme as they haue kepte hym in and the rather if the duke of Lancastre and the Englysshe men be agreed with hym and also it is of trouthe that the lorde Coucye admyrall of Fraunce and the lorde de la Ryuer are coÌ„myng hyder ye maye well knowe that is for some great cause touchynge the kyng who busyeth hym selfe for his coÌ„stable and for his Realme And by lykelyhode the kynge and his vncles wyll knowe presisely what ye wyll do and wheder ye wyll kepe styll your opinyon or nat And if ye kepe styll your purpose it is to be ymagined that the great armye that is prepared for to go in to Guerles shall tourne agaynst you Nowe remembre well what conforte ye are likely to haue yf ye haue warre with Fraunce whiche ye are moost lykely to haue if the duke of Lancaster marry his doughter into FrauÌ„ce as be semyng he wyll for he can nat bestowe her better to recouer her herytage Also ye knowe well that the moost parte of the prelates barons knyghtes and squyers and cyties and good townes are in maner ye agaynst you Therfore sir sithe ye demaunde counsayle of vs We saye that ye had neuer so moche cause to aduyse you as ye haue nowe Therfore putte to your hande to kepe well your herytage whiche hath cost the shedyng of so moche blode sweate and traueyle and refrayne somwhat your yre and hatered We knowe well ye beare great dyspleasure to sir Olyuer Clysson he hath done you many displeasures and ye hym paraduenture may do though he be nat lyke vnto you the FreÌ„che kynge and his vncles wyll maynteygne hym agaynst you for he shall he Constable And if kynge Charles that laste dyed who loued hym so well hadde lyued and ye done as ye haue done We knowe well it shulde rather haue cost the kynge halfe his realme thanne he wolde haue suffred it But kynge Charles his sonne is yonge he taketh nat â—o good hede to all maters nowe as he wolde do tenne yeres here after He cometh on and ye shall go If ye encre in to a newe warre agaynst the Frenche men besyde all that we haue shewed you ye shall do it without our counsayle and without the counsayle of any man that loueth you It behoueth you to dissemule whatsoeuer ye
purpose to do here after What nede you to kepe the thre castelles parteynyng to sir Olyuer of Clyssons herytage after the maner toke them Wheder it be so ye haue peace or warre they shall coste you more the kepynge of theym in thre yeres than they shall profyte you in twelue yeres Sir delyuer them agayne out of your handes without any desyre and whan the renome therof spredeth abrode as there is nothynge done but it wyll be knowen that without cōstreynt ye haue delyuered them of your owne mynde ye shall therby attemper and molifye euery mannes displeasure it shall greatlye please the duke of Burgoyne who ye knowe well hath nat done so moche agaynst you as he myght in all your busynesse And that is by the meanes of the good lady his wyfe your cosyn She hath many fayre chyldren who are nexte of blode to you therfore sir consyder fro whens ye came and are issued departe nat farre of fro thens that ye ought to approche nere it were follye in Englande ye hadde neuer thyng to do Also the Englysshmen haue ynoughe to do amonge themselfe They shewe you fayre semblaunt of loue and promyse to do for you all that they maye but they do it for their owne aduauntage and for nothynge elles ye haue proued them or this ye were norisshed amonge thē in your youthe ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the duke of Bretayne delyuered vp the thre castelles of sir Olyuer Clissons and howe he receyued ioyously the lorde of Coucy and his company ambassadours fro the frēche kyng And howe the duke of Lācastre made grete chere to sir Helyon of Lignacke seneschall of Xaynton ambassadoure fro the duke of Berrey Cap. C.xxviii WHan the duke of Bretayne had herde his counsayle speke and cast so many reasonable doubtes he was abasshed and stoode styll a season without spekynge of any worde leanyng in a wyndowe lokyng downe in to the courte his counsayle beyng aboute hym he stode in a great study at last he tourned and said sirs I se well that ye haue highly coūsayled me and I se well I haue nede of nothynge so moche as of good counsayle But howe may any loue be norisshed where is no thyng but hate Howe maye I loue Olyuer of Clysson that hath done me so many dyspleasures Wherfore of all the thynges that euer I dyde in this worlde I moost repente me of that I dyd nat put hym to dethe whan I had hym in my castell of Ermyne In the name of god sir quod they of his counsayle if he had ben slayne but ye ought nat to haue raunsomed hym nor taken his herytage For Iohan of Bretayne and the Vycount of Rohers sonne be his heyres and herytours to all his landes for his doughters are their wyues Wherfore they wolde haue entred in to the heritage as their owne for their resort is in to the Parlyament chambre at Parys For ye haue receyued all redy great blame in Fraunce for that ye haue done and kepynge of the thre castelles The constable hath entred his quarell and plee agaynst you in the parlyament house of Parys and there sentence wyll be gyuen agaynst you for there is none to answere for you agaynst any artycle that the Constable hath layde agaynst you Than sir Olyuer of Clysson and his heyres shall haue iuste cause and quarell to make warre agaynst you in his owne tytell And if the kynge with other of your owne countrey of Bretayne wyll make you warre and ayde your ennemyes ye haue nede than̄e to haue more puyssaunce to defende you thasie we can se that ye are lyke to haue Wherfore sir while the plee hangeth ye were best to delyuer agayne the thre castelles and haue thāke than to abyde the sentence to be gyuen agaynst you Sir agre for suche dommages as ye haue done as well as ye canne therby shall you wade out of all sclaundre the whiche a prince ought to dout for his dishonour And sir cōferme you to peace and contynue in loue with them that ye ought to do that is the Frenche kynge your soueraygne and naturall lorde and my lorde the duke of Burgoyne and your cosyns his chyldren ye may take ensample by that ye haue sene in youre dayes your cosyn germayne therle of Flaūders who was a myghte prince and a sage yet by insydētes in th ende of his dayes there fell to hym suche marueylous aduentures that without he had humyled hym selfe to the frēche kynge to his vncles and to the nobles of the realme he had loste his herytage and by their ayde and helpe he recouered it Well sirs quod the duke sithe I haue demaunded counsayle it behoueth me to take it and I accepte your wordes that ye haue spoken THis mater wente so forwarde that the duke of Bretayyne who was in possessyon of the thre castelles of the constables as ye haue herde here before he sent for his men that was in them and rydde his handes clene of them and there were stablysshed men in them for the constable But this restytuicion was nat suffycient in the opynion of the Frenche kynges counsayle wtout the duke restored agayne the money that he hadde taken of the Constable and besyde that the duke to come personally to the kyng to Parys to make his excuse before all the peres of the realme and to abyde on the mendes makynge suche as the kyng and his coūsayle shulde iudge by good delyberacion And whan the knowledge of the restytucion of these castels was come to the lorde of Coucye and to the other lordes that were apoynted to go in to Bretaygne to the duke Than the lorde of Coucy sayde to his company Sirs we haue the lesse to do I beleue the duke wyll gyue credence to vs whan he heareth vs speke I was enfourmed that before these thre barons departed fro Parys the dukes of Berrey and of Bourgoyne had them in counsayle and sayde Sirs ye muste entreate the duke of Bretaygne with fayre and swete wordes nat rigorously And shewe hym howe the duke of Bourgoyne wolde that he shulde come to Parys to the kyng but at leest shewe hym howe he must come to the halfe way to the towne of Bloyes and there we shall mete with hym and speke toguyder These thre lordes said they wolde do as they were cōmaūded They rode forthe came to the cytie of Rennes in Bretayne there demaūded tidinges of the duke and it was shewed them howe he was at Wannes and than they rode tyhder Their cōmynge was anon knowen in the dukes court for they had sent before their herbygers to take vp their lodgynges The duke had about hym his counsayle greate lordes suche as he trusted most the more honourably to receyue these lordes Whan they entred in to the towne of Wānes they had good chere and lordes and knyghtes of the dukes mette them and specially the lorde de la Wall there they a lyghted at their lodgynges refresshed them selfe
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 disceÌ„ded 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 recompeÌ„sed For I wyll ye knowe it hath cost me and the realme of Englande fyue hundred thousande fraÌ„kes wherof I wolde gladly se som recouerauÌ„ce 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 coÌ„cluded 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 LaÌ„castre and these parties as well of Castyle as of FrauÌ„ce 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 caÌ„ethyder 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 huÌ„dred horses for his enteÌ„cyon 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 〈◊〉 and they thanked the duke of Bretayne of his coÌ„myng 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
duke of Bretaygne sawe howe his excuses coude nat be taken nor herde sayde Well sirs if I go to Parys it shal be greatlye agaynst my wyll and to my preiudyce For whan I come there I shall fynde and se daylye before me sir Olyuer of Clyssone whom I can nat loue nor neuer dyde nor he me who shall attempte me with rygorous wordes My lordes regarde well what inconuenyentes shall ensue of my goynge thyder Sir ê™ the duke of Burgoyne fayre cosyn haue ye no dout therin for we shall swere solempnely to you that withoute it shall be your owne pleasure ye shall nouther se nor speke with the Constable nor with Iohan of Mountforde as longe as ye shall be there Of this sir ye shall be sure but ye shall se the kynge who desyreth to se you and other lordes knyghtes and squyers of Fraunce who shall make you good chere And whanne ye haue done that ye loke for ye shall retourne agayne without peryll or dommage Wherto shulde I make longe processe So moche the duke of Bretayne was desyred with faire wordes that he consented to go to Parys on the promyse that the Constable nor Iohan of Mountforde shulde nat come in his preseÌ„ce the whiche the dukes sware faythfully to vpholde and thervpon he ê“mysed to go to Parys A fyue dayes these dukes were at Bloyes and eche of them feested other ryght nobly and the couÌ„tesse and her chyldren in lyke maner And whan euery thyng was accomplysshed the two dukes toke leaue of the duke of Bretaygne and retourned to Parys But sir Wylliam of Heynaulte retourned nat to Parys with the duke of Burgoyne his faire father but rode first with the countesse of Bloyes who made hym right good chere and taryed there a thre dayes than toke his leaue and retourned in to Fraunce by the Castell Dune and Bonyuall ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe Lewes kyng of Cycyle entred in to Parys in estate royall and howe the duke of Bretayne entred on the nyght of saynt IohnÌ„ the Baptyst The yere of grace a thousande thre hundred fourscore seuyn and of a dede of armes doone before the kyng at Mountereau faulte you bytwene a knyght of Englande called sir ThomÌ„s Harpingham and a frenche knyght named sir IohnÌ„ de Barres Cap. C.xxxi THe duke of Bretaygne rode to Boygency on the ryuer of Loyre there he ordered his businesse to go to Parys The same tyme before the duke of Bretaygne entered in to Parys there entred the quene of Cycyll and of Hierusalem somtyme wyfe to the Duke of Aniou who was called kynge of those countreis and also of Naples and with her was her yonge sonne Lewes who was as thanne in all Fraunce named kynge of all the said landes And in their company was Iohan of Bretaygne brother to the lady She sente worde before of her coÌ„mynge to the dukes of Berrey and of Burgoyne aduertysyng theÌ„ howe she brought in her company her yonge son Lewes their nephue desyring to knowe whether he shulde entre into Paris as a kynge or elles symply as Lewes of Aniou The two dukes sente her worde aduisynge and couÌ„sayling her that he shulde entre as kyng of Naples of Cycyle and of Hierusalem And sente her worde that thoughe he were nat as thanne in possessyon of the Realmes yet they wolde entyse the Frenche kyng that he shulde ayde hym to conquere them for so they sware to do to their brother kyng Lois After this maner the lady prepared for her selfe and came and entred in to Parys and made her sonne to ryde throughe the hyghe stretes by saynt Iaques so to his lodgynge in grene in estate royall accompanyed with Dukes erles and prelates a great nombre There the lady taryed with her sonne and thanne wente to se the kynge at his castell of Loure abydinge there the commynge of the duke of Bretaygne ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the duke of Bretaygne entred in to Parys and came to the castell of Loure to the Frenche kynge Cap. C.xxxii WHan the duke of Bretayne aproched nere to Parys he rested one nyght at the quenes Bourge and the nexte daye he entred in to Paris great lokyng for hym was in Paris bycause he had before putte in daunger the Constable of Fraunce and had ben sente for dyuers tymes and wolde neuer come tyll than Men spake therof dyuersly and on a sondaye beynge Mydsomer daye at tenne of the clocke afore noone the duke of Bretaygne entred the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre huÌ„dred fourscore and eight in to Parys at hell gate and passed a long the strete of the Harpe and ouer the bridge saynt Michell and so before the palais well accompanyed with lordes and knyghtes There was sir Wyllyam of Heynaulre erle of Ostrenaunt his faire brother Iohan of Burgoyne and before him roode sir Wyllyam of Namure Thus he came to the Castelle of Loure and there alyghted as he rode throughe the stretes he was greatelye regarded of the common people And whan the duke was a lyghted and entred in at the gate he remembred what he shulde do and saye And before hym was the lorde of Coucy the erle of Sauoy sir IohnÌ„ of Vyen sir Guye de la Tremoyle sir IohnÌ„ of Vernayle the erle of Meauir sir Iohan of Voye sir Iohan of Barres and nere to hym was sir Wyllyam of Namure Iohan of Burgoyne and the erle of Ostrenaunte And behynde hym the lorde Mountforde of Bretayne and the lorde of Malestroyt they were of his kynne and priuy couÌ„sayle there was great preace to se hym and the halle but lytell and the boordes were couered for the kynge to go to dyner And the kynge stoode there redy before the table and his .iii. vncles besyde hym dukes of Berrey of Burgoyne and of Burbone As soone as the duke was entred euery man made place so that the duke myght se the kynge Firste he made one curtesy and so passed forthe a renne or .xii. paces Than he made the seconde curtesy and rose agayne and so passed forthe tyll he came before the kynge Than the thirde tyme he kneled downe bare heeded and saluted the kyng and sayd Sir I am come to se your grace god maynteyne youre prosperyte I thanke you sir quod the kyng and we haue great desyre to se you We shall se and speke with you at more leysar and therwith toke hym vp by the armes Than the duke enclyned hym self to all the other princes eche after other than he stode styll before the kynge without spekynge of any worde The kyng sore behelde hym Thanne the Stewardes and offycers came forthe with water and the kyng wasshed and the duke of Bretaygne putte his hande to the bason and to the towell And whan the kyng was sette the duke toke his leaue of the kyng and of his vncles and the lorde of Coucy and the erle of saynt Poule with other lordes conueyed hym in to the court where his horses were and there
dout ther of Herof the FreÌ„che kyng was right ioyfull howe be it some sayd that wheder the kynge of Almayne wolde or nat the kyng had puissaunce suffycient to do what he wolde without dauÌ„ger for all him than the kyng ordeyned to departe fro Chalous in Champayn so deê‘ted toke his way right to great Pre. Whan the kynge came to great Pre he taried ther a thre dayes he coude make no gret iourneys there was so moche people before hym and behynde and rounde about hym so that he was constrayned to ryde easely to haue good lodgyng and bicause of the great ê“uisyon that folowed after the hoost Fro the first company to the last coÌ„tayned .xxiiii. leages of that countrey styll dayly came people Th erle of great Pre receyued the kynge in to his towne and countre and offred all at the kynges pleasure The kyng was well coÌ„tent with hym therle was apoynted to the vantgard Thyder came to the kyng the duke of Lorayne sir Henry of Bare with a faire company of men of armes The duke of Loraine was ordayned to be with his sonne the lorde of Coucy sir Henry of Bare to abide with the kyng the pioners were sore besyed in the forest of Ardane to cutte downe wode and to make wayes where neuer non was before they had great payne to fyll the valeys to make the waye playne for the caryage to passe There were a thre M. that dyde nothyng els Whan the duches of BrabaÌ„t knewe surely howe the kyng was on his waye and approched the foreste of Ardayne she was therof ryght ioyfull for she thought at that voyage she shulde be well reuenged of the duke of Guerles howe the Frenche kyng shulde bring hym to reason And also his father the duke of Iulyers who had done to her many anoyaunces Than she departed fro Bruselles and in her company the erle of Sammes in Ardain the lorde of Bocelairs and dyuers other and toke her waye to Lusenbourge to se the kynge and to speke with hym She passed the ryuer of Meuse and the ryuer of Huy and at laste came to Basconque and there taryed the kynge for he shulde passe therby and so he dyde For whan he departed Graunt Pre he passed the Ryuer of Meuse at Morsay with all his hoost rode small iourneys Than tidynges came in to the duchy of Iulyers and in to Guerles that the Frenche kynge was coÌ„mynge on them with a hundred thousande men And that he had neuer so moche people toguyder before He was nat so great a company whanne he came to Burboure where he thought the Englysshe army had ben gretter than he founde theym The duke of Iulyers than began to dout but the duke of Guerles made nothing therof but sayde Lette them come the further they come the more weryer shall they be and they and their caryages shall waxe feble and their prouisyons shall waste and wynter shall drawe on and I am in a stronge countrey They shall nat entre at their ease They shall recule backe somtyme otherwise than by the sowne of the trumpettes and it shall behoue them to be alwayes toguyder which they can nat be if they wyll entre in to my couÌ„tre And if they disrought and be out of ordre they shall soone be taken vp wheder they wyll or nat Howe be it to saye the trouthe quod the duke our cosyn of FrauÌ„ce is of a good corage he sheweth and dothe as I shulde do Thus the duke of Guerles deuysed amonge his knyghtes but the duke of Iulyers was sore abasshed for he sawe well the French kynge wolde his lande were but brente and loste Than he toke counsayle of his brother the Archebysshoppe of Colonge and of his cosyn the bysshop Leage sir Arnolde of Hornes howe he shulde do to saue his lande fro brennyng and exylyng These two prelates counsayled hym and sayd how it must nedes behoue hym to huÌ„ble hym selfe to the Frenche kynge and to his vncles The duke sayde he was well content so to do ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe sir Helion of Lignacke made his reporte to the duke of Berrey And howe the lordes of Scotlande assembled toguyder in the Cytie of Berdane and determyned to reyse vp an army to entre in to Englande And of an Englysshe squyer Who was takenne by the Scottes who knewe the secretnesse of bothe realmes Englande and Scotlande Cap. C .xl. THan by the counsayle of the bysshoppe of Trect and by the aduyse of the bysshoppe of Colonge the bysshoppe of Laege was sente to the French kynge to treate for the duke of Iulyers The kynge approched but he passed nat two or thre leages a daye for his trayne was great bytwene Morsay and oure lady of Amount where as the duke of Berey and all his route with mo than fyue hundred speres was lodged Thyder came to the duke of Berrey sir Helyon of Lignacke and sir Wyllyam his brother Sir Wyllyam came fro the siege before Vanchadore for the duke had sente for hym and the duke of Burbone had sente for sir Iohan Boesme launce and they had lefte styll at the siege all their companyes and had lefte for capitaynes sir Iohan Butlere and sir Loyes Dambier And sir Helyon of Lignacke came out of Gascon fro Bayon fro the duke of Lancastre The duke of Berrey made hym good chere and demaunded tidynges Sir Helyon shewed hym and sayd Sir the kyng of Castyle seketh on the duke of Lancastre to haue peace with hym and treateth sore to haue his sone the prince of Wales to marry with the dukes doughter With that worde the duke of Berrey was pensyfe and sayd Sir Helion yet I shall sende you ones agayne to knowe more certayne and the bysshoppe of Poycters with you but as at this tyme we haue ynoughe to do Also the same weke the lorde of Coucy retourned fro Auygnon and came to the kyng to Ardane euery man was glad of his coÌ„mynge yE haue herde here before howe kynge Richarde of Englande had some trouble He agaynst his vncles and his vncles agaynst hym with other dyuers incydentes as by the duke of Irelande and other and many knyghtes in EnglaÌ„de deed and beheeded and the archebysshop of yorke brother to the lorde Neuell was at a poynte to haue loste his benefyce And by the newe counsaylers about the kyng and by the arch bysshoppe of Caunterbury the lorde Neuell who had ben the chiefe ruler and kepar of the fronters of Northumberlande agayst the scottes fyue yeres togyder was as than put out of wages He had before euery yere sixtene thousande frankes out of the countie of yorke and bysshoprike of Durham And there was sette in his stede the lorde Henry Percye and he hadde to wages by the yere but a .xi. thousande Frankes Wherof other lordes of his lygnage thoughe they were of his kynne yet they hadde therat great enuy and indignacyon one agaynst another And all this knewe ryght
was faire and resonable and so thought dyuers other Than the kyng toke vp the duke of Iulyers who was on his kne whyle he spake to the kyng and sayd to hym Sir we shall take counsayle and aduyse on your promyses and wordes Than the duke rose vp stode styll by the bysshoppes that brought hym thyder Than the kyng and his vncles and suche of his secrete counsayle drewe toguyder and debated this mater long with dyuers opinioÌ„s The duke of Burgoyne to whom principallye the mater touched bicause of the duchy of Brabant wherin he chaleÌ„ged to haue great right of enherytaunce after the dethe of the duches Iane bycause of the lady Margaret his wyfe and also to say the trouthe he was the chiefe causer of the kynges coÌ„myng thyder with all that puissauÌ„ce Wherfore he wolde that euery thyng might be for the best and to th entent that a good peace might be made bitwene all ê‘ties that there shulde be no more occasyon to coÌ„e thyder agayne another tyme bycause the voyage is long and costly for the realme Than he sayd to the kyng Sir and it lyke your grace you my brother of Berrey and to you all I saye that in all thynges yuell begone lyeth great aduyse We here howe our cosyn the duke of Iulyers greatly exscuseth hymselfe and he is so valyant a man and of our blode and we of his that we ought to beleue hym He offereth to the kyng a great thyng his body his countrey his townes and castelles to be at the kynges coÌ„maundemente in case that his sonne the duke of Guerles wyll rebell and come nat to make amendes of the defyaunce that he hath made To speke acordynge to reason it is a great thynge to haue with vs the duke of Iuliers the duke of Guerles shall be the more feble and the easyer to correcte and the more he shall dought vs and soner come to obeysaunce wherfore I counsayle that his offre be nat refused for he mekely humyleth hymselfe and other greate lordes of Almayne entreate for hym To these wordes there was no contrary opynyons but all consented by one acorde Than the bysshoppes of Coloygne and of Liege were called to their counsayle who had ben chyefe entreatours in this busynes and to them it was declared fro poynte to poynte and frome clause to clause what thynges the duke of Iulyers shulde swere and seale to do if he wolde haue his landes saued and to be in reste Fyrst that he shulde go to his sonne the duke of Guerles and shewe hym playnely his foly and the great outrage that he had done to sende to defye so puyssauÌ„t a prince as the frenche kynge and specially by suche fell defyaunce out of the style of ryght or reason and to cause him to come to reason and mercy And if he wolde nat thus do but abyde styll in his opynyon through feble wytte and counsayle than the duke of Iulyers to swere and seale to renounce hym fro all ayde or socoure that he myght do and to become his enemy as other be and to suffre suche as shall be apoynted by the kynge and his counsayle to abyde there all this wynter to lye in garysons in the countrey of Iulyers to make frounter warre agaynst the duke of Guerles and there to be well entreated and receyued THese two prelates were called to the kinges counsayle to the entente that they shulde shewe to the duke of Iulyers these artycles and so they dyd And than the duke sawe well howe that it behoued hym to agree or els to haue his landes ouer tynne and wasted wherfore he acorded and sware and sealed to vpholde all the kynges desyre so that his lande shulde nat be ouerron nor exyled and he was contente that his lande shulde vytayle the armye Thus the duke of Iulyers became the frenche kynges man and made relyefe for his lande of Vierson beyng bytwene Bloys and Berrey and supped that nyght at the kynges table Fyrste sate the bysshoppe of Liege and the bysshoppe of Coloygne than the kynge the duke of Burgoyne the duke of Thowrayn the duke of Iuliers and the duke of Burbone THus the duke of Iulyers was in reste and pease by the foresayd meanes and the kynge and his armye were lodged in his countrey the whiche was pleasaunt and plentyfull of all vytayles Than the duke of Iulyers wente towardes the duke of Guerles his sonne But or he came there there was dyuers feates of armes done in the countrey for the almayns who be couetouse oftentymes by night or by daye wolde ieoparde them selfe and sette on the frenche mens lodgynges to kepe them wakynge and somtyme they wanne and some tyme they lost But for one almayne that was taken there were euer four frenchmen taken And on a daye the constable of Fraunce and the lorde Coucy the duke of Lorayne the marshall of Blainuill sir Iohan of Vien syr Iohan de la Tremoyle a four thousande men of armes came before a towne in Guerles called Renconge shewed them selfe before it in good ordre of batayle The same tyme the duke of Guerles was within the towne and praysed moche their demeanour but he made none issue out for he had nat men ynowe wherof he was ryght sore dyspleased Thus the frenche men were there in good ordre of batayle the space of four houres and whan they sawe that none wolde issue out they departed and returned to their lodgynges The same euenynge about the duke of Berreys lodgyng certayne knyghtes and squyers drewe togyther to the entent to ryde forthe in the mornynge in to the lande of their enemies to seke some aduenture and promysed eche other to stycke togyther lyke bretherne They were in nombre aboute a hundred speares But whan the mornynge came all their purpose was broken for there was a squyer of Auuergne called Godinos a valyaunt man of armes he pertayned to the lorde of Alegre whan he sawe that they had refused his company and wolde nat desyre hym to go with them he was sore dyspleased and brake his mynde to a nother sorte of companyons so that they were to the nombre of thyrty speares They tode forthe togyther and rode all that mornynge and coulde fynde none adventure And whan Godynos sawe that they shulde retourne without doynge of any feate he was sore dyspleased and sayde to his company Syrs ryde on fayre and easely and I with my page wyll ryde aboute this wode to se if any enbusshe be hydden therin and tary me vpon yonder Mountayne They agreed to hym Thus he and his page rode forthe costynge the wode Whan he had rydden a lytell waye he herde one why stell in the wode and strake his horse with the sportes and came to the syde of the wode and there he founde an almayne guetloys cuttynge of wode Than Godynos toke his glayâ—e and came ryâ—nynge at this man wherof the man was sore abasshed Than Godynos made sygne to hym that
tyme there rose suche a tempeste that it sperkled abrode the englysshe nauy in suche wyse that the hardyest marynere there was sore abasshed so that perforce they were constreyned to seke for lande And the erle of Arundell with .xxvii. vesselles with hym whether they wolde or nat were fayne to caste ancre in a lytell hauen called the Palyce a two small leages fro Rochell and the wynde was so streynable on see borde that they coude nat departe thence Whanne tydynges therof came to Rochell they were in great dought at the fyrste leste the englisshmen wolde come on them and do them great domage and closed their gates and helde them shytte a day and a halfe Than other tydynges came to them fro them of Palyce howe the englysshemen were but .xxvii. vesselles and came thyder by force of wynde and wether and taryed for nothynge but to de parte agayne and that the Erle of Arundell was there and the lorde Henry Beamonde sir Willyam Helmen mo than thyrty knyghtes of Englande Than they of Rochell tooke counsayle what thynge was beste for them to do and all thyng consydered they sayd howe they shulde but easly acquyte themselfe if they went nat to skrymysshe with them The same season before the castell of Bouteuyll was syr Loys of Xansere mershall of FrauÌ„ce and had besieged within the fortresse Gylliam of saynt Foye a gascon and with the marshall a great company of Poictoâ— of Xayntone of Piergourt of Rochell and of the lowe marches for all were nat gone in to Almayne with the knig This sir Loys was soueraygne capytayne ouer all the fronters bytwene Mountpellyer and Rochell tyll the retourne of the lorde Coucy They of Rochell sent worde to the marshall of the englysshmens beynge at Palyce Whan he herde therof he was ryght ioyfull and sent to theym that they shulde make redy seuen or eyght galees and to man them forthe for he wolde come by lande and fyght with the Englisshmen They of Rochell dyd as they were commaunded and sir Loys departed fro his siege and brake it vp for he thought it shulde be more honorable for hym to fyght with the erle of Arundell and the englysshe men rather thanne to contyne we styll his siege Thus be wente to Rochell and all knyghtes and squyers folowed hym I can nat tell by what inspyracyon the erle of Arundell had knowledge howe the marshall of Fraunce with a greate puyssaunce of knyghtes and squyers was comynge to fyght with hym at Palyce whiche tydynges were nat very pleasaunte to the erle of Arundell howe be it the wynde was some what layde and the see aueyled Than the erle wayed vp ancres and sayled in to the see in suche good season that if he had taryed longe after he had been enclosed in the hauen and euery man taken for in contynent thyder came the galees of Rochell well manned and furnysshed with artyllery and gonnes and came streyght to the hauen of the Palyce and fouÌ„de the englisshe men departed They pursued after a two leages in the see and shotte gonnes howebeit they durst nat longe folowe for feare of enbusshmentes on the see Than the frenche shippes returned and the marshall of Fraunce was sore dyspleased with theym of Rochell that they sente hym worde so late The erle of Arundell toke the waye by the ryuer of Garon to come to Burdeaux and therby the siege before Bowteuyll was defeated for Gillonet of saynt Foy prouyded his garyson of that he neded in the meane tyme the the marshall went to fyght with the englysshe men NOwe let vs retourne somwhat to speke of the duke of Lancastre howe he was in treatie with the spanyardes and also with the Duke of Berrey for the maryage of his doughter The kynge of Castyle treated with hym for his sonne the prince of Castyle to the entent to haue a peace with the englisshe men Also the duke of Berrey treated to haue the duke of Lancasters doughter for hymselfe for he had great desyre to be maryed And the duke of Lancastre lyke a sage imagynatâ—â—e prince sawe well howe it was more profitable for Englande and for hym to mary his doughter in to Castyle rather than to the duke of Berrey for therby he thought to recouer the herytage of Castyle in tyme to come for his doughter And if he shulde gyue her to the duke of Berrey and the duke fortune to dye his doughter than shulde be but a poore lady to the regarde of other bycause the duke of Berrey had chyldren by his fyrst wyfe who shulde haue all the profyte Also the duchesse of Lancastre enclyned to the kynge of Castyles sonne So that whan sir Helyon of Lignac was departed fro the duke of Lancastre and retourned to the duke of Berrey beynge as that in Almayne than the king of Castyls messaÌ„gers were well herde in suche wyse that their wordes were noted and their offers accepted and the couenaunte made and sworne bytwene Kateryn of Lancastre and the kynge of Castylles sonne and writynges and publike instrumentes and oblygatory bondes made and concluded with out reâ—le or repentaunce So that the duches of LaÌ„castre after euery thyng set in ordre shulde bring her doughter Kateryn in to Castyle All this season the frenche kynge was styll in the fronters of Iulyers concludynge with the duke of Guerles as ye haue herde before and howe they departed And as the frenche men retourned it fortuned on the fronteres of Almayne on a nyght aboute mydnyght as the mone â—hone fayre certayne almayns robbers and pyllers that dyd sette nother by peace nor warre but alwayes sought for their aduauntage some pertaynynge to the lorde of Blaqueneuen and to sir Peter of Conebech they were well horsed and came and aduysed the french hoost and where they might haue most profyte and aduauntage and so passed by the lodgyng of the vycount of Meaulx and sawe no styringe and returned without any noyse makynge outher passynge or retournynge and came agayne to their enbusshe and shewed them what they had sene and foundeâ— and incontynente these almayns came and entred at their aduauntage in to the frenchmens lodgynges and ouerthrewe I can nat tell howe many and toke .xiiii. menne of armes prisoners There was taken the lorde of Viesuile and the lorde of Mountkarell This aduenture the frenche men hadde the same nyght by reason they made but easy watche and were but yuell ordred The next day whan these tydinges were knowen howe the lorde of Viesuille and the lorde of Mountkarell were taken the frenche men were sore displeased and toke better hede after Whan the frenche kynge departed fro the countrey of Iulyers none taryed behynde euery man drewe to their garysons sir Guylliam of Tremoyle and sir Geruays Furrande and all other and the braban soys by the waye euery man wente home And in the retournynge of the frenche men it was ordeyned by great delyberacion of couÌ„sayle that the frenche kynge who had ben vnder the
we saye howe ye be right hertely welcome The kyng hath well herde and vnderstaÌ„de what ye haue sayd ye shall haue shortely and aunswere within a day or two suche as shall coÌ„tente you that is suffycient quod sir Iohan of Vyen and so tooke his leaue of the kynge and of his counsayle and wente to his lodgynge And it was shewed me howe he taryed there more than seuen dayes without hauynge of any answere he sawe nothynge but dyssymulacion wherwith he was sore dyspleased for all that tyme he coulde nat se the kyng for he kept hym close in his chambre And whan syr Iohan of Vien sawe that he coulde haue none other exployte in his busynes he spake on a daye to some of the kynges counsayle and sayd Syrs surely I wyll departe without aunswere They douted leste he wolde do as he sayd and surely so he had done and they had nat called hym on a day and made him his aunswere as they dyd Than it was sayd to hym howe he might well shewe the frenche kynge and suche as had sent hym thyder that they shulde haue the kinge of Castyle nor his counsayle in no maner of suspecte for they had nat done nor wolde nat do any thynge with the kynge of Englande that shulde breke or adnychilate in any maner of wayes the alyaunces that hath been sworne and sealed bytwene Fraunce Castyle howe be it thoughe the kynge of Castyle mary his sonne to the doughter of the duke of LaÌ„castre therby to make a fynall peace for the chalenge that the duke maketh to the realme of Castyle by ryght of his wyfe and generally all the realme counsayleth the kynge there to though he assent wyll do it yet the frenche kyng nor his counsayle ought nat to be dyspleased there with for alwayes the kyng of Castyle and his men wyll be conioyned alyed with the french kynge and with the realme of Fraunce This was the substaunce of the answere that sir Iohan of Vien brought in to FrauÌ„ce fro the knig of Castyle who proceded sorthe with the duke of Lancastre in his maryage made an amyable peace togyther by meanes of messengers that wente bytwene them for the duke laye in the marchesse of Burdeaulx and came thyder fro Bayon and the duches and her doughter where as they were receyued with great ioye for they were greatly desyred there And fro Burdeaux they wente to Lyborne WHan trewe and certayne tydynges was come into the erle of Foiz house howe the Kynge of Castyle was agreed with the duke of Lancastre and shulde mary his sonne with the dukes doughter and to gyue great landes in Castyle and greate nombre of floreyns about a two hundred thousande nobles wherof the erle had great marueyle This I knowe well for I syr Iohan Froysart was there the same tyme. Than the erle of Foiz sayd Ah this kynge of Castyle is vnhappy for he hath made peace with a deed man for I knowe well the duke of Lancastre is in that case and in suche daunger that he can nat helpe hym selfe But the kynge of Castyle hathe mette with a sage and a valyaunte prince of the duke of Lancastre for he hath valyauntly borne hym selfe all the warre season NOwe lette vs somwhat speke of the army on the see So it was that aboute the feest of Crystmas the erle of Arundell who had ben a longe season on the see costynge the fronters of Bretaygne and of Rochell Xaynton and of Normandy and so passed before Karenten but a fore that they tooke lande at Chirbroke and wolde haue done there some dedes of armes And the same season there were souerayne capytayns in the towne and garyson of Karentyne the lorde of Hambre and the lorde of Coucy and with them a great nombre of knyghtes and squyers of NormaÌ„dy Whan the erle of Arundell knewe howe the towne of Karentyne was so well prouyded and furnysshed with good men of warre than he passed forthe for he sawe well in assautinge therof he myght rather lese than wyn Than he came to a nother towne therby called Toraguy and assayled it and toke it perforce and pylled it and wanne there great rychesse and toke with theym many prisoners and than came before the good towne of Bayeux and came to the barryers and there they made a skrymysshe and none assaute Than the englysshmen passed the watches of saynte Clemente and dyd great domage in the countrey for they taryed there a fyftene dayes and no man encountred them the marshall of Blannâ—uille was in Normandy but he knewe nat of their comynge if he had he wolde haue prouyded for the mater And whan the englysshe men had done their enterprise and done great domage to the countrey of Normandy asmoche as a huÌ„dred thousande frankes came vnto Than they drewe backe and passed agayne the watches and retourned to Chyrbroke and dyd put all their conquest in suretye and sauegarde in to their shyppes And whan they had wynde wether and their shyppes charged than they entred and dysancred and toke the see and retourned in to Englande aryued at Hampton Thus the army of the erle of Arundell on the see concluded in that season ¶ Howe syr Loys of Xancere wente to se the erle of Foize at Ortays and howe before the duke of Lancastre at Burdeaux there were dedes of armes done bytwene fyue frenchmen and fyue englysshe men and howe the duches of Lancastre wente with her doughter in to Castyle to kynge Iohan. Cap. C.liiii IN this seasoÌ„ sir Loys of Xancer marshall of FrauÌ„ce was in Languedoc in the marches of Tholouse and Carcassone and he knewe well of the treatye that was made bytwene the duke of Berrey and therle of Foiz for the maryage of the duke of Bowlonges doughter whome the duke of Berrey wolde haue though the damosell were right yonge Than the marshall had affection to go se the erle of Foyz as I was enfourmed by his men at Ortays for whan he came thyder he founde me there He came at the sendynge of the frenche kynge and I shall shewe you why wherfore The frenche kyng was as thaÌ„ yonge and had desyre to trauayle and he had neuer ben as than in Languedoc whiche is a great countrey and full of cyties townes and casteles and as than nygh all dystroyed and wasted for the duke of Berry and his counsayle who had the gouernauÌ„ce of that countrey had greatly enpouerysshed and pylled the countrey by tayles and great oppressyons the complayntes wherof came to the kynges eares by reason that he was newly entred in to the domynacion of his Realme And the kynge sayde he wolde go in to Languedoc to vysite that countrey and also to go and se the pope whome he had neuer sene before and also in that voyage he sayd he wolde se the erle of Foiz of whome he had herde so moche honour and larges spokeÌ„ of Thus the marshall went forthe on his waye and
Englande suche as his specyall 〈…〉 might come in to your presence and to your counsayle as shortely as myght be to treate for a maner of peace so that it he and you togyther myght couenably and resonably be conâ—oyned and meanes sounde to haue a conclusyon of peace he wold be therof right ioyfull and for that entente he wolde nouther spare his owne payne and laboure nor yet none of his men nother to come hym selfe or to sende suffyciente persones ouer thesee to the cytie of Amyence or to any other place assigned And syr we be come hyder for this entente to knowe your pleasure in this behalfe Than the kynge aunswered and sayde Syr Thomas Percy you and all your company are ryght hertely welcome and of youre comynge and wordes we are ryght ioyfull ye shall â—ary here in Paris a season and we wyll speke with our counsayle and make you suche a couenable answere or ye depart that it shall suffyce you With this answere the englysshe men were well content Than it was nere dyner tyme and the englysshe men were desyred to tary to dyne And so the lorde of Coucy brought them in to a chambre and the lorde de la Ryuer There they dyned at their layser and after dyâ—er they retourned in to the kynges chambre and there had wyne and spyces and thanne toke their leaue of the kynge and wente to their lodgynge THe comynge of syr Thomas Percy and his company in to FrauÌ„ce and the tydynges that they brought pleased greatly the frenche kynge and the duke of Burgoyne and dyuers of his counsayle but nat allâ— and specially suche as ayded to sustayne pope Clementes quarell for they sawe well by these tydynges that if the frenche kynge enclyned to this treatie that it shulde greatly let hynder the voyage that was mynded to go to Rome to distroy pope Bonyfacâ— and his cardynals or els to bringe them to the beleue of pope Clemente But the mater of treatie of peace was so â—egh and touched so moche the welthe and prefyte all crystendome so that no persone durst speke against it The duke of Burgoyn and his counsayle with the kynge and his brother and the duke of Burbone were all of one acorde The kyng made good chere to ser Thomas Percy to the englysshmen but amonge them there was one knyght called sir Robert Briquet wheme the frenche kynge loued nat he was a frenche man borne but alwayes he helde him selfe outher naueroys or englysshe and as than he was one of the king of Englandes priuy chambre The frenche kynge dissymuled with hym sagely for whan he spake to theym alwayes the kynge wolde tourne his selfe to syr Thomas Percy or els to syr Loys Clyfforde and sayd Syrs we wolde gladly se this peace to be had bytwene vs and our aduersary the kynge of Englande for the quarell and warre hath to longe endured bytwene vs. and one thinge I wyll ye knowe that it shall nat be hyndred on out parte though it be gretly to our cost Sir quod they the kyng our souerayne lorde who hath sent vs hyther hathe great affection to haue peace and saythe that it shall nat be let on his parte and hath marueyle that the warre and dyscensyon bytwene your landes hath endured so longe and that no good amyable meanes hathe been had or this tyme. Than the frenche kynge answered and sayd we shall se the good affection that he hath thervnto THese englysshemen taryed at Parys vi dayes and euery day dyned with one of the dukes of Fraunce and in the meane season it was determyned that the frenche kynge his vncles and his priuy counsayle shulde be at Amyence by the myddes of Marche next after there to abyde the coming of the kynge of Englande his vncles and his counsayle if they wolde come thyder And the englysshe knyghtes sayd they made no doute but at the lest the kynge of Englandes vncles shulde be at the day assigned at Amyence this was the conclusyon of this treatie The daye before that they shulde departe out of Parys the kynge came to the palays where his vncles were and there he made a dynner to the Englyssh knightes and caused sir Thomas Percy to sytte at his borde and called hym cosyn by reason of the Northumberlandes blode at which dyner there was gyuen to sir Thomas Percy and to the englyssh knightes and squiers great gyftes and fayre iewels but in the gyunge of them they ouer slypte syr Robert Briquet and syr Peter Villers chefe steward with the frenche kynge delyuered the gyftes and be said to syr Robert Briquet Sir whan ye haue done suche seruyce to the kynge my maister as shall please hym he is ryche and puisaunt ynough to rewarde you With whiche wordê sir Robert Briquet was sore abasshed and parceyued well therby that the kyng loued hym nat but he was fayne to suffre it after dyner mynstels began to play that pastyme ones past sir Thoms Percy caÌ„e to the kyng sayd Sir I and my company haue great marueyle of one thing that ye haue made vs so good chere and gyuen vs so great gyftes that sir Robert Briquet hath nothynge who is a knight of our maisters preuy chambre Sir we desyre to knowe the cause why therto answered the frenche kyng and sayd Sir Thomas the knyght that ye speke of syth ye wyll knowe that mater he hath no nede to be in batayle agaynst me for if he were taken prisoner his raunsome shulde soone be payde and therwith the kyng entred in to other coÌ„munycacion Than wyne and spyces were brought forthe and so tooke leaue retourned to their lodgynge and made a reconyng and payde for euery thyng The nexte daye they departed spedde so in their iourneys that they arryued in EnglaÌ„de and shewed the kyng and his vncles howe they had spedde and greatly praysed the freÌ„che kyng and the chere that he had made them shewed of the gyftes and iewels that he had gyuen them ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue a lytell to speke of the Englysshe men and some what shewe of kyng Iohan of Castyle ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the dethe of kyng IohnÌ„ of Castyle and of the crownyng of kynge Henry his sonne Cap. C .lxxvi. YE haue herde here before in this hystorie how peace was made bytwene the kynge of Castyle and the duke of Lancastre who chalenged to haue ryght to the realme of Castyle by reason of the lady Custaunce his wyfe doughter to kyng DoÌ„peter And by meanes of a fayre doughter that the duke of Lancastre had by the sayde lady Custaunce the peace was made and confyrmed For the sayde kynge Iohan of Castyle had a sonne to his heyre called Henry who was prince of Galyce This Henry was maryed to the duke of Lancasters Doughter wherby good peace was made bytwene Englande and Castyle and within two yeres after this maryage kynge Iohan of Castyle dyed and was buryed in Burgus in Spaygne Anone after his dethe the prelates
be nat delyuered fro the companyons There is as yet the garyson of Lourde where as Peter Arnaulte kepeth vnder the kynge of Englande And also the garyson of Bounteuyll whiche is kepte by sir Iohan of Granley sonne to the Captall of Buse And thoughe it be so that as nowe we haue peace with the erle of Foiz yet it is good to doubte hym for he is cruell and hastye his thought is vnknowen therfore it is good that our landes be nat dyspurueyed Wherfore Brother for these causes other ye shall retourne home and ye shalle here often fro me and I fro you Sir Bernarde lightlye agreed to this purpose The deuyse semed good to hym Nor also he had no great affeccyon to go forthe in that iournay Than at his departynge the erle his brother sayde to hym Brother in youre retournyng ye shall go to our cosyn Raymonde of Thourayne who holdeth lande of the pope in the countie of Venus and maketh warre agaynst hym and my cosyn hath maryed his doughter to the prince of Orenge and shewe hym howe I am desyred of the pope to requyre hym to go with me in this voyage and I shall make hym my companyon in euery thynge and I shall tary for hym at the cytie of Gappe bytwene the mountayns Sir quod Bernarde I shall do your message Thus the two bretherne departed a sondre in the felde and neuer mette to guyder agayne after The erle of Armynake toke the waye to the cytie of Gappe in the lande of Ganos And Bernarde his brother went to the castell of Bolongne where sir Raymonde of Thouraygne was who receyued his cosyn ioyously Than sir Bernarde shewed hym the message that he had to saye fro his brother the erle of Armynacke with as fayre wordes as he coulde deuyse the rather therby to enclyne hym therto Than sir Raymonde aunswered and layd Fayre cosyn or your brother the erle of Armynake be entred farre in to LoÌ„bardy and hath besieged any towne I shall folowe hym but as yet it is to soone for me and my men to go forwarde Write vnto your brother my cosyn that aboute the moneth of Maye I shall folowe hym by the tyme I trust to haue an ende of the war betwene myne vncle pope Clement and the cardinals at Auignon me who as yet wyll do me no ryght and kepeth awaye fro me ê‘force that myne vncle pope Gregorie gaue me they wene to wery me but they shall nat They desyre knyghtes and squyers and gyueth theym pardons to make warre agaynst me but they haue no lyst therto For I canne haue mo men of warre for a thousande Floreyns in one daye than they can haue for all their absolucions in seuyn yere Fayre cosyn quod sir Bernarde that is trewe Kepe on your purpose I wolde nat counsayle you otherwyse And as ye haue aunswered me so shall I write to my brother therle of Armynake So be it quod sir Raymonde Thus they were toguyder all a hole daye ThanÌ„e sir Bernarde departed and passed the ryuer of Rosne at the bridge Saynt Espyrite and so retourned in to Query and in to Rouergue by the mountayns and so came thyder as he wolde be and lefte the erle of Armynake his brother alone with his warre against the duke of Myllayne erle of Vertues Or he departed fro Bolonge he wrote to his brother all the newes that he knewe and the answere of sir Raymonde of Thourayne The erle of Armynake receyued the letters in the waye goyng to the cytie of Gappe He redde the letters and so passed forthe and made no great force of the matter WE wyll contynue to speke of the yonge erle of Armynacke and shewe his feate or I speke of any other mater And thus I say The good loue and great affection that he had to conforte his suster brother in lawe her husbande whom the erle of Vertues who called hym selfe lorde of Myllaygne falsely disheryted withoute cause or tytellâ— caused the erle ioyously to passe in his iourney as farre as Pyemount in Lombardy There was two great reasons that caused the erle of Armynake to assemble and to make that iourney at that tyme. The fyrste was that the realme of Fraunce therby was clene rydde of the routes of these companyons that hadde done moche hurte in the reaime and therby the countreys better assured than they were before The seconde reason was to ayde his suster for he had great pytie that she and her husbande shulde lese their herytage wherby they shulde lyue and maynteyne their estate and for these consyderacions he toke on hym this enterprice The capitayns of the companyons sayde one to another Lette vs ryde forthe merily agaynst these lombardê we haue a good quarell and a inste tytell and we haue a good capitayne wherby our warre shal be moche the better And also we shall go in to the best countrey of all the worlde for Lombardy receyueth fro all costes the fatnesse of the worlde and the e lombardes be naturally euer riche and cowardes We shall attayne agaynst theym moche profyte There is none of vs that be capitayns but that shall retourne so ryche that we shall neuer nede to make warre more agaynst any man Thus the companyons de used one with another and whan they came in to a plentuous countrey there they wolde tary a season to refresshe them and their horses In the same season the good abueÌ„turous fought of Englande sir Iohan Hacton was in the marchesse of FloreÌ„ce and made warre agaynst the floreÌ„tyns in the quarell of pope Bonyface of Rome for they were rebell agaynst the popes coÌ„maundement and so were also the Perusyns The erle of Armynake thought that if he might get this Englysshe knyght to take parte with hym he shulde haue a great treasure of hym bycause of his wysedome valyauntnesse The erle wrote to hym signyfieng hym all the hole mater of his enterprice desyringe hym of his ayde Whiche letter was sente by a discrete person to sir Iohan Hacton beyng in the marchesse of Florence and had a two thousande fyghtynge men He receyued the letter and redde it And whan he hadde well vnderstande all the substaunce therof he was ryght ioyfull and aunswered and sayde That his owne warre ones atchyued he wolde do nothyng after tyll he were in the company of the erle of Armynake The messanger sayde Sir ye saye well I requyre you write your mynde to my lorde the erle of Armynake he wyll the better beleue it With ryght a good wyll sir quod the knight it is reason that I so do Than the Englysshe knyght wrote and delyuered the letter to the messangere who retourned and came agayne to his lorde and founde hym as than in the marchesse of Pyneroll where was gret treatie bitwene hym and the Marques of Salues who shulde be alyed with hym to ayde him in his warre agaynst the duke of Myllayne erle of Vertues THe tidynges that the erle of
brekyng of his promesse that he forgette it nat by reason of our neclygeÌ„ce THus the pope and his cardynalles at Auignon spake and comuned toguyder and layde the defaute of the kynges malady on the counsayle of FrauÌ„ce and on suche as were about the kynge in his chambre Of the same oppinyon were many other folkes in the realme of Fraunce They that were about the kynge sence the kynges offrynge to a towne called Aresnecke in the countie of Heynaulte bytwene Cambrey Valencennes In the whiche towne there was a Churche parteyninge to an abbey of saynt Waste in Arrasce wherin there lyeth a saynt called saint Acquayre of whom there is a shrme of syluer whiche pylgrimage is sought farre and nere for the malady or frasey Thyder was sente a man of waxe representynge the Frenche kynge and was humbly offred to the saynt that he myght be meane to God to asswage the kynges malady and to sende him helthe In lykewise the kynges offrynge was sente to saynt Hermyer in Romayes whiche saynt had meryce to heale the Fransey And in lykewise oâ—ryngê were sent iÌ„ to other places for the same entent WhaÌ„ the tidynges were come in to Englande the kynge and his counsayle were sore troubled therwith and specially the duke of Lancastre and he sayd to suche knyghtes and squyers as were aboute hym Sirs surely it is great pytic of the Frenche kynge for he semed to be a man of great enterprice and of great desyre to do well He sayde to me at Amyence whan I departed fro hym Fayre cosyn or Lancastre I desyre you hertely to do your dylygence that a ferme peace maye be made bytwene our nephue the kynge of Englande and vs and oure realmes to the entent that we myght go togyder agaynst Lamorabaquyn who hath conquered the Realme of Armony and dothe that he can to distroye Christendome By our goyne thider our faithe shulde be exalted we are all bouÌ„de therto And nowe by the Frenche kynges malady the mater is sore letted and hyndred for he shall neuer be of the credence he was of before All that herde the duke sayde It was trewe and that it was lyke to be great trouble in Fraunce Thus all maner of people bothe tarre and nere spake and deuysed of the kynges maladye and the kyng laye styll at Crayle in the kepynge of the foresaid knyghtes of maister Guyllyam of Harsely And no man spake with the kynge nor entred in to the castell but suche as were ordayned therto Somtyme the duke of Orlyaunce and the duke of Burbone came thyder to visyte the kynge and the dukes of Berrey and of Burgoyne laye styll at Parys and had done nothynge of newe but they were in purpose shortely to do somwhat agaynst suche as they loued nat bycause they hadde been alwayes harde to them before and the duke of Berrey said to the duke of Burgoyne Brother le Ryuer Clysson le Mercyer and the Begue of Vallayns whan they were with the kynge in Languedocke ccuelly they punysshed to dethe my treasourer and good seruaunt Betysache by euuy And for all that I coude do or saye I coulde nat gette hym out of their handes nor saue his lyre Therfore nowe let them beware or me for I shall paye them agayn with the same money forged in the same forge In lykewise the duke of Burgoyne coude nat ioue them that gouerned the kyng for euer whane he had any busynesse to do in the courte they were euer agaynst hym Also the same tyme the duchesse of Burgoyne who was a cruell lady was about the quene as chefe ruler and non spake with the quene but by her meanes THis lady hated mortally sir Olyuer of Clyisone for loue of the duke of Bretayne for he was nere of blode to her and often tymes she spake to the duke her husbande sayeng howe he was greatlye to blame to beare so moche sir Olyuer of Clisson agaynst so myghtie a prince as the duke of Brecaygne And the duke of Burgoyne who was a colde a sage and an ymaginatyue prince and dyde his busynesse alwayes at length and wolde nat wyllyng bringe the realme of FrauÌ„ce in to trouble but alwayes wyllyng to kepe all ê‘ties in loue and peace as nere as he myght And also as he that was neuer wyllyng to displease any of the great lordê answered right sagely wysely to his wyfe Dame ê™ he it is good in all tymes soÌ„what to dissymnle a mannes displeasure True it is our cosyn of Bretayne is a great lorde hath seignorie puissaunce ynough agaynst sir Olyuer of Clysson if I hadde taken his parte agaynst Clysson it shulde greatly haue weaked the Realme of Fraunce For sir Olyuer of Clyssone saythe and sustayneth that all the hate that he hath to the Duke of Bretaygne is to sustayne vp the realme of Fraunce wherin we haue great parte And also this is the coÌ„mon renome in FrauÌ„ce Also as yet I haue sene no artycle wherin I shulde take parte with my cosyn of Bretaygne agaynst sir Olyuer of Clysson therfore it hath behoued me to dissymule or elles I coude nat haue had the good wyll of the kyng nor of the realme wherto I am more bouÌ„de by faithe and seruyce than to the duke of Bretaygne Nowe it is so that the kyng is nat in good case as ye knowe well and all this is agaynst the lorde Clisson and shal be and to suche as haue gyuen couÌ„sayle agaynst vs my brother of Berrey and me that the kyng shulde procede in his iourney to Bretaygne The rodde is gadered wherwith they shall be shortely beaten and corrected as ye shall breuely here if yet wyll take a lytell pacieÌ„ce Dame dame there is no season but at last is payde Nor no fortune but that somtyme tourneth Nor herte troubled but somtyme agayne reioyceth Nor none that is ioyfull but somtyme is sorie and troubled Clysson le Ryuer Montague le Mercyer le Vyllayns they haue done yuell and that shal be shewed them breuely With suche lyke wordes the duke of Burgoyne and the duchesse his wyfe sported theÌ„ toguyder ON a daye it happed that the duke of Burgoyne and the duke of Berrey coÌ„muned secretely togyder sayde It were tyme that we began to distroye them that haue dishonored our nephue the kynge and haue ledde hym at their wylles And first let vs begyn at the coÌ„stable he is the grettest and hath most to lese for this other daye he made his testament of seuyntene huÌ„dred thousaÌ„de frankes Where the deuyll hath he gadered toguyder all that richesse And yet the mary age of his doughter to Iohan of Bretayne whom he delyuered out of prison in EnglaÌ„d and payde for his rauÌ„some two huÌ„dred thousande frankes of Englande Let vs se what poyntes we can lay to him by reason for our nephue the duke of Orleaunce beareth hym greatlye and so do dyuers other barones of Fraunce Howe be it and we stycke therto we shall
hym horses Sir Olyuer of Glysson roode ofter abrode than the duke dyde And it fortuned on a day he encountred two squyers of the dukes the one called Berâ—ard the other yuonet they were taken and brought to sir Olyuer who was gladde of them He knewe them well one of them hadde done hym seruyce in tyme past and the other nat but he had done hym displeasure Than sir Olyuer said to yuonet Remembrest thou nat howe in the Castell of Ermyne thou sheweddest me but small curtesy and thou Bernarde haddest pyte on me and dyddest putte of thy gowne and putte it on me whaÌ„ I stode in my doublet on the pauement the whiche kepte me fro colde I wyll nowe yelde thy curtesy to the thy lyfe shal be saued but thou false knaue and traitour yuo net thou myghtest haue done otherwyse thaÌ„ thou dyddest therfore thou shalte repent it and therwith drewe his dagger and strake hym to the herte Another tyme the lorde Clisson rode with thre hundred speares in his coÌ„pany towarde the castell of Alroy where the duke and duchesse of Bretayne were This was aboute Mydsomer and by fortune he encountred a fourtie of the Dukes seruauntes who hadde tyed their horses to the trees and had sickels in their haÌ„des and were cuttyng downe the corne and makynge trusses to cary to their lodgynges lyke forragers Whan the lorde Olyuer came on them they were sore afrayde and the lorde Oliuer said Sirs howe dare ye come in to the feldes to steale and to take awaye poore meÌ„nes corne ye neuer sowed them and yet ye cutte theym downe or they be type ye begyn haruest to soone Leape on your horses and take youre sickels for this tyme I wyll do you no hurt and saye to the duke of Breraygne who is in Alroy that if he wyll come or sende his men to driue me away here he shall fynde me tyll the sonne goynge downe These poore men were gladde they were so delyuered they feared to haue ben slayne So they retourned to the castell of Alroy to yeâ—â—ke and shewed hym what they hadde herde and sene but the duke nor none of his men issued out of the castell Many scrimysshes were made in Bretaygne bytwene the duke and sir Olyuer of Clysson and they of the countre medled nat bytwene them ¶ Nowe we wyll leaue to speke of the duke of Bretayne and of sir Oliuer of Clysson and of their warre and speke of the busynesse bytwene Englande FraÌ„ce ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the forme of the peace made bitwene the Frenche kyng the kyng of Englande by meanes of the four dukes vncles to bothe kynges Cap. C.xcv. YE haue herde here before howe the ê‘liameÌ„t was holden in the cytie of Amyence and howe the Englysshe lordes departed and vpon what artycles howe the Frenche kynge sent after in to Englande to the duke of LaÌ„castre and the answere that they hadde of the Englysshmen who were harde to be brought to any peace For it laye nat all onely in the kyng nor in the dukes of Lancastre and yorke for great parte laye in the commens of Englande and archers and other seruyng men they sayd howe they had rather haue warre than peace many yong knightes squiers were of that same opynion for by reason of the warre they had maynteyned their estates howe be it ê‘force they were fayne to obey as the kyng his vncles wolde The duke of LaÌ„castre bycause his .ii. doughters were quenes the one of Spaygne the of Portugale And also bycause he sawe the kynge his nephue enclyned to haue peace he sayd the warre had endured longe ynoughe and sayde he wolde take payne therin so it myght be for the honour of the kyng and the realme On the other partie the duke of Burgoyne dyde all that he myght do to haue peace consydring howe he was greatly charged with the busynesse of Fraunce And that his two nephues the Frenche kynge and the duke of Orlyaunce were yonge of age and of discrecion Also he consydred howe he was enherytour to the duchy of Brabant and thought that if euer Flaunders and Brabant shulde vary agaynst the crowne of FrauÌ„ce with the ayde of Englande as they had other tymes done before that the realme of Fraunce shulde than haue ouer moche to do the duke of Burgoyne was a wyse and a farre castyng prince and depely regarded his busynesses This duke of Burgoyne and the duke of Lancastre tooke great payne to haue a Parlyament agayn to be holden at BalynghmÌ„ whiche was agreed and bothe partyes suffycyently prouyded with full auctorites to conclude a full peace And this counsayle to be holden at Balyngham in the moneth of May than nexte after in the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and .xvii. and all suche as shulde be at this assemble were named and apoynted FIrste on the party of kynge Rycharde kinge of Englande were apoynted his two vncles the duke of Lancastre and the duke of Gloucestre who were greatly in fauoure with all the coÌ„mons of England and with all such that loued berter to haue warre than peace and with them shulde be the archebysshop of yorke the bysshop of London and other clerkes of the lawe It was apoynted that these lordes shulde come to Calays as they dyd aboute the myddes of Aprill anone after the feest of saynte George holden at the castell of Wyndesore by the kynge and other knyghtes of the ordre of the garter And on the frenche party there was aisygned the dukes of Bertey and Burgoyne to be there and other counsaylours of FrauÌ„ce and it was ordeyned that they shulde come to the towne of Boloyn and the frenche king who as he shewed had great affection to haue peace bytwene EnglaÌ„de and hym sayde to his vncles that he wolde come as nere to the parlyament as he myght wher vpon it was aduysed where the frenche kinge shulde lye the parlyament durynge at Balyngham Somesayd at saynt Omers and some sayd at Thourayne and some at Mutterell or Abuyle But all thynges consydred it was aduysed that the kynge shulde lye at Abuyle bycause the towne was stronge and well fournysshed and there euery man shulde be well lodged Whan this was determyned drousyon was made there for the kynge and he to be lodged in the abbay of saynt Peters an abbay of blacke monkes and thyder came the kynge and the duke of Orlyaunce and their counsayle and the lorde Reynolde of Corby chauncellour of Fraunce The dukes of Berrey and of Burgoyne and suche other as were in their coÌ„myssion were at Boloyne And the dukes of Lancastre and Gloucestre other were at Calays It was goodly to beholde to se the ordre of this parlyament that was holden at Balyngham bytwene the frenche men and englysshmen There were tentes and pauylyons pyght vp to refresshe bothe partyes and twyse or thryse a weke the coÌ„myssioners mette there in a fayre tente ordayned for that purpose aboute nyne of
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 coÌ„maunded 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 coÌ„mune and ought to be debated by coÌ„mune 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 coÌ„mune 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 Eâ—tham 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
duke of Gloucestre and so toke leaue of the kynge and of the lordes and came to London and the next day rode fyftene myle fro London to a towne called Brendwode and the next day to Plasshey and there he founde the duke and the Duchesse and their chyldren who ryght goodly receyued hym acordyng to his degre Than Robert delyuered hym his letters sent fro the frenche kyng And whan the duke sawe they were of credence he drewe this Robert a parte and demaunded what credence he had Robert aunswered hym and sayd syr I shall shewe therin to you at good leyser I am nat come to departe agayne so soone Well quod the duke ye be welcome This Robert knewe well ynough that the duke of Gloucestre was a sore dyslymulynge prince and contrary to any peace and thought it harde to breke hym fro his opinyon for he knewe well he was alwaies contrary to the peace whiche was well sene at the treaties at Balyngham for he neuer demaunded but to haue warre yet for all that Robert the Hermyte spared nat to speke to the duke on the forme of peace Alwayes he founde the duke colde in aunswers and sayd the mater lay nat in hym for he had two elder bretherne the duke of Lancastre and the duke of yorke to whome the mater partayned rather than to hym and also that if he wolde consent therto alone peraduenture the other lordes prelates and counsaylours of good townes wolde nat accepte it Well quod Robert the Hermyte for the loue of our lorde Ihesu Christ be ye nat contrarye to the peace for ye maye do moche and also ye se well howe the kyng your nephue enclyneth to the peace and wyll by maryage haue the Frenche kynges doughter by whiche coniunctyon shal be gret alyaunce of peace and loue Than the duke aunswered and sayd What though ye be beleued and herde at this tyme with the kynges and lordes of bothe realmes and that ye haue good audyeÌ„ce with them and with their counsaylours the mater is so hygh and weyghty that it is conuenyent that greater personages than ye shulde meâ—le therwith I haue tolde you and often tymes I haue said that I shall neuer be contrary to the peace so it be to the honoure of the kynge and the Realme of Englande In tyme paste peace was taken bytwene the king our father and our brother the prince of Wales and kinge Iohan of FrauÌ„ce and the frenche party sworne and bounde vppon payne of sentence of the pope and yet it helde nat for the frenchmen fraudulently haue broken all couenauntes haue taken agayne possessyon of all the landes and lordeshyppes that were yelded delyuered at the peace makyng to our sayd souerayne lorde and father and to our predecessours and moreouer of the soÌ„me of .xxx. thousande frankes that the redempcyon mounted vnto there is yet to paye syxe huÌ„dred thousande frankes wherfore such maters to remembre troubleth sore our corages and we and many of this realme marueyle greatly howe the kynge our souerayne lorde leaneth to so yonge aduyse counsayle and regardeth none otherwyse the tyme passed and the tyme present but enclineth to alye hym by maryage with his aduersary and by that alyaunce dysheryte the Crowne of Englande his successours to come of the clayme of Fraunce Ah ryght dere lorde quod Robert our lorde Iesu Christ suffered passyon on the Crosse for vs all synners and pardoned his dethe to them that crucyfied him in lykewyse a man must pardon that wyll come to the glory of heuen and sir all yuell wylles hates and rancoures were pardoned the daye that the peace was made and sealed at Calays by our predecessours and nowe warres haue been a game newly renewed bytwene your men and ours I thynke surely through faulte on bothe parties for whan the prince of Wales duke of Acquytayne was retourned out of Spayne in to Acquytayne there were a certayne maner of people callyng themselfe companyons wherof the moste partye were englysshe men and gascons holdynge of the kynge of Englande and of the prince of Wales These people assembled them togyther and entred in to the realme of Fraunce without any tytell of reason wherby ensued mortall eruell warre greater than was before These companyons called the realme of Fraunce their chambre they were so set to do yuell dedes that they coude nat be resysted And whan the realme of FrauÌ„ce sawe and felte them so harmed by this people and sawe well the lengar they contynewed the more they multyplyed more hurte they dyd than kyng Charles of FrauÌ„ce sonne to kyng Iohan was couÌ„sayled by his subgiettes to resyst subdue suche enemyes outher by warre or otherwyse and many great barons of Gascoyne came to the frenche kyng suche as said they were sore ouerlayde with their lorde the prince of Wales many iniuryes done to theÌ„ whiche they shewed to the frenche kynge they might nat nor Wolde nat suffre no lenger and so they beganne the warre bycause of their resorte to the prince of Wales Than this kynge Charles by counsayle of them and of his subgiettes enhardyed himselfe to the warre with these barones of Gascoyn for to mete against these companyons And in this newe warre many lordes retourned to the frenche kynge and dyuers lordeshyppes cyties townes and castels for the great oppression that the prince of Wales dyd to theÌ„ and consented to be done by his coÌ„myssioners Thus the warre was renewed wherby many great myschyefes haue fallen to the dystruction of moche people and countreys and the faythe of Christ sore febled and decayed the enemyes of god ryssen and coraged and haue all redy conquered moche parte of Grece the emperour of Constantynople hath nat the power to resyst the puyssauÌ„ce of the great turke called Basant Lamorabaquyn who hathe conquered the realme of Armony excepte all onely a towne standynge on the see syde called Tourche whiche the venysians and genouoys kepe agaynst the turke and the emperour of Constantyne the noble who is of your blode he was sonne to the emperoure Hugues of Luzignen and of my lady Mary of Burbon cosyn germayne to my lady the quene your mother he shall nat be able of longe to resyst the puyssauÌ„ce of this gret turke and if peace maye be had bytwene Englande and Fraunce as I trust by the grace of god it shall be than knyghtes squyers suche as demaunde for dedes of armes for their aduauncement shall drawe them to that parte and shall helpe kynge Lyon of Armony to recouer agayne his herytage and to put out the turkes for surely the warre hath ouerlonge endured bytwene Fraunce and Englande and surely who so euer it be that is or wyll be against the peace shall derely aunswere therto outher quycke or deed Howe knowe you that quod the duke of Gloucestre Syr quod Robert all that I say cometh by dyuyne inspyracyon and by a vysione that came to me vpon the see as I retourned fro Baruchâ—
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 alegiauÌ„ce 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 ê‘ceyued well he had no frendes in FrauÌ„ce 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 FrauÌ„ce thesame lady that was promysed to hym for his sonne and heyre The duke dyde cast all these doutes ThanÌ„e 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 doÌ„mages 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 coÌ„maundyng 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 lyâ—e 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 caÌ„e 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 coÌ„maunded that the messanger shulde coÌ„e 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 ThanÌ„e 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 sonÌ„e 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 sonÌ„e 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 vicouÌ„t 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
kynge and the realme of Englande and that the Englysshe men myght be in the same case or better in the parties of Gascoyne as they were or the warres renewed agayne And of this matter he wolde often tymes speke with his brother the duke of yorke and drewe hym as moche as he coulde to his opynions for he was but a softe prince but to the Duke of Lancastre his eldest brother he durste nat speke ouer largely for he sawe well he was of the kynges opynion and was well pleased with the Kynges maryage princypally for the loue of his two doughters the quene of Spaygne and the quene of Portugale The same season the duke of Lancastre remaryed agayne the thyrde tyme to a lady doughter to knyght in Haynalte called syr Paon of Ruette he had ben in his tyme with noble quene Phylyp of Englande who was of the nacyon of Haynalt she was called Katheryn and was brought vp in her youthe in the duke of Lancasters howse with the duchesse Blaunce of Lancastre And after the dethe of this lady Blaunce the duke maryed the lady Custaunce of Spaygne and in her dayes the duke kepte to his concubyne this lady Katheryne of Ruet who hadde maryed a knyght of Englande who was as than deed and the duke had by her thre chyldren two sonnes and a doughter the eldest called Iohan otherwyse lorde Beauforde of Lancastre the duke loued hym entyerly the other was called Thomas the duke brought him vp at Asque he was a good clerke and connynge in bothe lawes he was a great iuryst and legyst and was after bysshoppe of Lyncolne The duke of Lancastre for the loue he had to his chyldren he wedded their mother the lady Katheryn of Ruet wherof there was moche marueyle bothe in Englande and in Fraunce for she was but of a base lynage in regarde to the two other wyues And whan the knowledge of the maryage of the duke to this lady Kateryne of Ruet was come to the great ladyes of Englande as the duchesse of Gloucestre the countesse of Derby the countesse of Arundell and other ladyes dyscended of the blode royall of Englande they meruayled moche and layd gret blame to the duke for that dede and sayde howe the duke of Lancastre was greatly to dysprayse to mary his concubyne for by reason therof she shulde be the seconde person in honoure in Englande wherby they sayd the quene shulde be shamefully acompanyed and sayde howe surely they wolde nat come in to no place where she shulde be presente and more ouer they sayde it shulde be a great shame for theym that suche a duchesse come of so base a blode and concubyne to the duke in his other wyfes dayes shulde go and haue the preemynence before them they sayde their hertes shulde breke for sorowe bothe the duke of Gloucestre and the duchesse his wyfe spake of this mater and sayd howe the duke of Lancastre was nat wyse but fowle ouersene to marry his concubyne and sayde they wold neuer do her honoure nor call her suster The duke of yorke passed it ouer lyghtly ynough for he was euer lyghtly resydente aboute the kynge and with the duke of Lancastre The duke of Gloucestre was of a nother maner for he sette by no man though he were yongest brother he was orgulous and presumptuous of maner and therto be enclyned his nature and alwayes agaynst the kynges opynions and his counsaylours Thus this lady Kateryne of Ruet was duchesse of Lancastre and was as the seconde persone in Englande and was moche aboute the kynge as she that knewe moche honour for in her youth and all her dayes she had ben brought vp therin and the Duke loued greatly the chyldren that he had by her and that he shewed well in his lyfe and after his dethe YE haue herde here before howe iugement of the parliament was gyuen agaynst syr Peter of Craon and howe he was condempned in a hundred thousande frankes to be payed to the Quene of Napoles Whan the sayde syr Peter sawe howe he was condempned he was sore abasshed for outher he muste paye the sōme or els abyde styll prisoner Than he was counsayled by the duke of Burgoyne and by the duchesse that he shulde requyre the yonge quene of Englande to be meane for hym to the quene of Napoles that he myght be released oute of prysone fyftene dayes to go abrode in Parys to sewe to his frendes to pay his fynaūce or els to fynd sureties for him tyll he myght go in to Bretaygne to gather amonge his frendes the same sōme So at the desyre of the yonge quene of Englande the quene of Napoles was contente that he shulde go all the day abrode in Paris and at nyght alwayes to yelde hymselfe prisoner in to the castell of Lowre and there to remayne all the night After this rate he went abrode and sewed to many of his blode and frendes but he coulde fynde none that wolde abyde there prisoner for hym the sōme was so great And at the ende of the fyftene dayes he was fayne to returne prisoner bothe day and nyght and was kept streyghter than he was before at his cost and charge NOwe lette vs a lytell speke of the iourney of therle of Neuers and the lordes of Fraunce and what they dyd the same sōmer in Hungery And after we shall speke of the goynge in to Frese of the erle of Haynalte and the erle of Ostrenaunt The erle of Neuers and his company with many valyaunt men that he had of Fraunce and of other countreys whan they were come in to Hungery in to a great cytie called Bode the kyng of Hungery made them good chere and well they deserued it for they were come farre of to se him The entensyon of the kynge was that or he sette forwarde with his puyssaunce and with the ayde of Fraunce to entre in to the felde to here fyrste some newes fro the great turke called Lamorabaquy who had sent hym worde in the moneth of February that surely he wolde be in Hungery or the ende of the moneth of Maye and that he wolde passe the water of Dunce of whiche message many had great marueyle And some sayde that there is in a manner nothynge but that man maye do it consyderynge that the turke is valyaunt and puyssaūt and desyreth moche dedes of armes therfore sythe he hath said it by all lykelyhode he wyll do it and if he passe nat the Dunce to come hyther to this syde than lette vs passe ouer and entre in to Turkey with puyssaūce for the kynge of Hungery with suche ayde as he hath of straungers shall well make an hundred thousande men and suche a nombre of suche men are well able to conquere all Turkey and to go in to the empyre of Perce and if we may haue one iourney of vyctory vpon the great turke we shall do after what we lyst and shall conquere Surey and all the holy lande of
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 coÌ„munycacion 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 â–ª where he was nobly receyued and there they couÌ„sayled 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 coÌ„muned 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 fouÌ„de 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 Aâ—berte and his sonne had a valyaunt man of their couÌ„sayle 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 defeÌ„de 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 coÌ„mune acord grauÌ„ted 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
se what condycyon her husbande the lorde of Coucy was in The knyght sayd for her sake he was content to go thyder to bringe the certaynte of his estate Thus he made him redy and fiue persones with him Other ladyes in Fraunce sent in lyke wyse to knowe what case their husbandes were in YE haue herde here before howe the kynge of Hungery wolde in no wyse consent that sir Morant shulde passe into Turkey with the frenche kynges presentes and in this opynion the kynge longe contynued whiche was right dyspleasaunt to sir Morant and to syr Helley but they coude nat amende it And so it happed that the great mayster of the Rodes came in to Hungery to the cytie of Bode to whome the kyng made good chere wherto he was bounde for the daye of the batayle the kynge had ben slayne or taken and he had nat ben and there he founde these two knyghtes of Fraunce They came to him and shewed hym howe the kynge wolde nat suffre them to passe in to Turkey with suche presentes as the frenche kynge had sent to Lamorabaquy wherof he had meruayle sayde howe he wolde speke to the kynge therin and that they shulde well knowe and so he dyd and shewed to the kyng suche reasons that he tourned the kynges opynion and so than they had leaue to passe in to Turkey with all their presentes and so they passed forthe vnder sure safe conduct and came to Lamorabaquy who receyued theym and their gyftes ryght honorably after their vsage and made great ioye of the presentes The knyghtes for all that spake but ones all onely with the erle of Neuers at good leysare and at their departynge the erle sayde to them Syrs I requyre you recommaunde me to my lorde my father and to my lady my mother and to my lorde of Berrey and specyally to the kynge and salute fro me all my other frendes and desyre them that if Lamorabaquy wyll set vs to raunsome that by meanes of marchauntes or otherwyse our raunsomes may be quyckly payed and we delyuered for by longe taryenge we shall lese for in the begynnyng we were but .viii. prisoners and nowe we be .xvi. whiche is in all .xxiiii. and we shall nat be delyuered without we be delyuered all at ones and as soone all as one for Lamorabaquy hath so promysed and surely he wyll nat be founde false of his worde syr Morant and syr Helley aunswered and sayd howe his cōmaundement shulde be doone to the whiche he was bounde So they departed and retourned in to Hungery and by the way they encountred the messanger that was sent in to Fraunce to the kynge bringynge a gayne letters fro the frenche kynge to the kyng of Hungery Than this messanger retourned agayne with theym for he had no more to do whan he sawe them retourne and had done their voyage into Turkey and so retourned all togyther in to Fraunce ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the duke of Gloucestre subtelly sought out the meanes howe to dystroye kynge Rycharde of Englande his nephue Cap. CC.xxii IT is long syth I spake of the duke of Gloucestre yongest sonne to the kynge of England Edwarde the thyrde I had no tyme to speke of him tyll nowe and bycause his herte coude neuer loue the frenche men therfore of the losse that the frenche men had in Turkey he was rather gladde than sory The same seasone he had a knyght with hym called syr Iohan Laquyquay chiefe of his counsayle as it was knowen after he sayde to his lorde Syr the fumes and pride of the frenche men are well a bated by reasone of their iourney in to Hungery and Turkey they be so full of pride and brages that they canne come to no good conclusion of any enterprise that they take in hande That is trewe quod the duke and that apered right well duryng the warre in the dayes of the kynge my father and of my brother the prince of Wales for as than they coulde neuer atayne to any iourney agaynst the Englysshe men therfore I canne nat tell why we shulde haue trewce with them for if the warre were open and by reason of our good tytell togyther we shulde nowe make them better warre than euer was made before for as nowe all the floure of chyualry of Fraunce is outher taken or slayne and the men of Englande desyre to haue warre rather than peace for they canne better lyue in warre than peace for in lyenge styll is none aduauntage and I swere by god if I may lyue two yere in good helth the war◠shal be renewed I wyll nother spare for trewce respyte nor assuraunce for in tyme paste the Frenche men haue kept no promesse with vs but haue falsely and craftely taken away the herytage of the duchy of Acquytayn whiche was gyuen and delyuered by agrement of good treatie of peace to the kynge my father whiche often tymes I haue shewed to the counsayle of Fraunce whan we met and comuned togyther in the fronter of the marchesse of Calays but alwayes they florysshed their entētes with so swete wordes that myne opynion was nat regarded nor belyued nouther by the kynge my nephewe nor by my bretherne but if there were a good heed kynge of Englande that desyred the warre as well as I do and wolde put to his payne to recouer his herytage whiche craftely and falsely hath been taken fro hym without any good tytle of reasone he shulde fynde in Englande a hundred thousande archers and syxe thousande men of armes redy aparelled to serue him and to passe the see and to put their goodes and lyues in aduenture in his seruyce But it is nat so there is no suche Kynge in Englande as nowe that loueth any dedes of armes if there were he wolde shewe hym selfe in Fraunce there was neuer so good tyme to make warre in Fraūce as now for who soeuer goeth nowe shal be fought withall whiche is all the desyre that englysshmen haue in trust of wynnyng as they had in tyme paste in the dayes of good kynge Edwarde my father in my brothers dayes the prince of Wales I am the yongest of all the bretherne of Englande but if I may be beleued I shall be the fyrst e that shall renewe the warre and trust to recouer the wronges that the frenchmen haue done to vs and dayly do and all by the symple slouthfulnesse that is a monge vs and specyally our heed the kynge my nephue who wyll nowe alye hymselfe by maryage to the frenche kinges doughter this is no token that he wyll make warre his eyen be to heuy he careth for nothyng but for meate and drinke and reste and dalyenge with ladyes and damoselles This is no lyfe for men of warre that wyll deserue to haue honour by prowes of dedes of armes yet I remembre me of the last iourney that I made into Fraunce I thynke I had in my company but two thou sande speares and eyght thousande archers and so passed
the see and entred in to the realme of Fraunce fro Calayesê and so wente a longe in to the realme and fouÌ„de none to with stande me nor none that durst fyght with me in lyke wyse so dyd syr Robert Canoll and sir Hugh Caurell and Thomas of GrauÌ„tsome and syr Phylyppe Gyssarde and yet they had nat the nombre that I had with me and yet they were before Parys and demaunded batayle of the frenche kynge but they coulde neuer be aunswered nor founde any person that sayd any thyng to them and so they rode into Bretayne and so a longe through the realme of Fraunce fro Calais to Burdeaux without hauynge of any batayle or rencountre but I thynke surely who so wolde nowe make any suche iourney they shulde be fought with all for he that calleth hym selfe kynge in Fraunce is yonge hote and of great corage and enterprise he wolde surely fight what ende so euer fell therof and that is the thynge we desyre for we loue nothynge so well as to haue batayle for without it be by batayle and victory vpon the frenche men who be ryche els we shall haue no recouery but suffre with the losse as we haue done euer sythe my nephewe was kyng of Englande This thyng can nat longe endure in this estate but at laste the realme of Englande shall perceyue the mater repente it for the kyng taketh and shall take and reyse great tayles of the marchauntes wherwith they be nat content and yet they can nat tell where the good becometh Thus the kynge enpouereth the realme of Englande and gyueth to one and other largely and there as it is but yuell bestowed and his people vyeth the bargayne whiche shortely wyll growe to a rebellyon within the realme for the people begyn to clater and to murmure therat sayeng howe they wyll no leÌ„ger suffre nor beare it he sayeth to stoppe the peoples rumure that the trewce ones concluded bytwene him Fraunce that than he wyll make a voyage in to Irelande and enploye there his men of armes and archers and there he hath ben but with a small conquest for IrelaÌ„de is no lande of great conquest nor profyte the people they are but rude and yuell and a right poore countrey and inhabytable and looke what is wonne there in one yere is loste in another Laquynay Laquynay quod the duke all that I haue sayde is of trouth THus the duke of Gloucestre deuysed with his knyght with suche wordes and other as it was well knowen after He hated the kynge and coulde speke no good worde of him and though he were with his brother the duke of LaÌ„castre as one of the greatest rulers of the Realme he toke no care therof And whan the kyng dyd sende for him he wolde come at his pleasure and sometyme nat a whyt And whan he came to the kynge he wolde be the laste shulde come and the first that wolde departe and in counsayle what he had ones sayd of his opynion he wolde haue it taken and accepted els he wolde be displeased and somtyme take his leaue and departe to his maner in Essex called Plasshey there was his chiefe abydynge This duke was a great prince and might well spende by yere a threscore thousande ducates he was duke of Gloucestre erle of Essex and of Buckingham and constable of Englande He was of so marueylous condycyons that the kynge douted hym more than any other of his vncles for in his wordes he wolde nat spare nor forbeare the kynge The kynge alwayes was humble and meke to hym and whatsoeuer he wolde demaunde the kynge wolde graunte it hym This duke had caused in EnglaÌ„de to be done many cruell and hasty iugementes for he had caused to be beheeded withoute tytell of any good reasone that noble knyght syr Symon Burle and dyuers other of the kynges counsayle and chased out of Englande the archebysshop of yorke and the duke of Irelande bycause they were so nygh of the kinges counsayle and layde to their charge that they had counsayled the kynge wronge and ledde hym as they lyst and had spente the reuenewes of Englande at their pleasures This duke had two bretherne the duke of Lancastre and the duke of yorke These two were euer about the kynge wherat this duke of Gloucestre hadde great enuy wolde say to dyuers as to suche as he trusted as Robert bysshop of London and to other whan they came to him to Plasshey Frendes my two bretherne ouerchargeth greatly the kynges house it were better they were at home at their owne houses this duke by subtyle couerte wayes drewe to his acorde the londoners for he thought if he might be sure of them he shulde sone haue all the rest of the realme to his acorde This duke had a nephue sonne to the doughter of his elder brother called Lyonell duke of Clarence whiche doughter was maryed into Lombardy to the sonne of syr Galeas duke of Myllayne This duke Lyonell dyed in the cytie of Aste in Piemounte So this duke of Gloucestre wolde gladly haue sene his nephue sonne to the doughter of the duke of Clarence called Iohan erle of Marche to haue ben kynge of Englande and to haue had his nephue kynge Rycharde deposed for he sayd howe the kynge was nat worthy to holde nor to gouerne the realme of Englande This he wolde say to them that he trusted and he dyd so moch that he caused the erle of Marche to come to his house and than and there he dyscouered to hym all his entent and secretnesse and sayde howe he had determyned to make hym kynge of Englande and kyng Richarde to be put downe and his wyfe also and to be kept in prison dutynge their lyues and so he desyred effectuously the erle to accept his offre and good wyll sayenge howe he wolde do the beste he coulde to bringe it aboute and that he had of his acorde and alyaunce the erle of Arundell and therle of Warwyke and dyuers other prelates and lordes of Englande The erle of Marche was sore abasshed whan he herde the duke his vncle speke suche wordes howe be it lyke a yonge man he dissymuled the mater and aunswered wysely to th entent to please the duke and said howe he wold be glad to be ruled as he wolde haue hym but he sayd he wolde be well aduysed or he accepted suche promisse to sone and wolde take therin aduyse and delyberacyon And whan the duke of Gloucestre sawe the maner of the erle than he desyred him to kepe the mater secrete The erle answered so he wolde do Than therle departed as sone as he coude and so wente in to Irelande to his herytage and after he wolde neuer entende to the dukes treatie but alwayes excused him selfe wysely yet euer he kept the mater secrete for he sawe well the conclusyon shulde nat be good IT was sayd howe the duke of Gloucestre sought all the wayes he coude to set a trouble in Englande and to styrre the
he hadde dyned and was aboute to haue wasshen his handes There came in to the chambre foure men and caste sodaynlye a towell aboute the dukes necke two at the one ende and two at the other and drewe so sore that he fell to the Erthe and so they strangled hym and closed his eyen whan he was deed they dispoyled hym and bare hym to his beed and layde hym bytwene the shetes all naked and his heed on a softe pyllowe and couered with clothes furred And than they yssued out of the chambre in to the hall well determyned what they wolde saye and sayde openly Howe a palueysye hadde taken the duke of Gloucestre the same night sodaynly and so dyed These wordes anon were abrode in the towne of Calais Some beleued theym and some natte Within two dayes that the duke was thus deed the erle marshall appareled hym selfe in blacke bycause he was his nere cosyn and were many other knyghtes and squyers that were in Calays His dethe was sooner knowen in Fraunce and in Flaunders than in EnglaÌ„d The Frenche men were gladde therof For there was a coÌ„mon brute that there shulde be no good peace bytwene Fraunce and Englande as long as he lyued And in all treaties bytwene FrauÌ„ce and Englande he was euermore harder and obstynaier thanÌ„e any other of his bretherne wherfore they cared nat for his dethe In lykewise many men in Englande bothe knyghtes squyers and other officers of the kynges who were in feare of hym bycause of his crueltie All suche were gladde of his dethe They toke to recorde his cruell dedes by the duke of IrelaÌ„de whom he had exyled out of Englande Also of the deth of that valyant knight sir Symon Burle and of sir Robert Triuylien sir Nicholas Bramble sir Iohan Standysshe dyuers other The dukes dethe was but lytell regarded in Englande excepte but with suche as were of his opinyon Thus this duke dyed in Calais his body was enbaumed and seared in leed and couered and so sente by See in to Englande And the Shyppe that caryed hym arryued at the Castell of Hadley vpon Thamyse syde and fro thens caryed by chariot symply to his owne place at Plasshey and there buryed in the Churche Whiche the sayde duke hadde founded in the honoure of the hooly Trynite wherin were twelue Chanonnes to synge diuyne seruyce YE maye well knowe that the duchesse of Gloucestre and Affren his sonne and his two susters were sore discoÌ„fyted whan they sawe the duke brought thyther deed The duchesse had double sorowe for Richarde erle of Arundell her vncle was be heeded openly by the kynges coÌ„maundemeÌ„t in Chepesyde there was no lorde durst speke to the contrary the kynge beyng presente at the same iustyce doynge It was done by the erle Marshall who hadde to wyfe the doughter of the sayde erle of Arundell and yet he bounde his eyen hym selfe The erle of Warwyke was in great daunger to be beheeded but the erle of Salisbury who was in the kynges fauour desyred the kynge for his lyfe and so dyde dyuers other barons prelates in Englande The kynge enclyned to their requestes so that he myght be banysshed and putte in suche a place as he shulde natte come fro for the kyng wolde nat clerely forgyue hym He sayde he had well deserued to dye bycause he was of counsayle with the duke of Gloucestre and with the erle of Arundell to haue brokeÌ„ the peace and truce taken bitwene Fraunce Englande For the whiche artycle the kyng sayd they had deserued to dye for the peace was taken bytwene the ê‘ties on suche coÌ„dycion that who so euer dyde breake it shulde be worthy to dye The erle of Salisbury who had ben the erle of Warwykes companyon dyuers tymes in excusyng of him said Howe he was an olde man and was desyred by the duke of Gloucestre by his fayre wordes Wherfore he sayd that he dyde was natte of his owne mocyon but by theirs Affyrming howe there was neuer none of the Beauchampes that euer dyd trayson agaynst the crowne of Englande Thus the erle of Warwyke for pytie was respyted fro dethe He was banysshed in to the ysle of Wyght And it was sayde to hym Erle of Warwyke ye haue deserued to dye as well as the erle of Arundell but for the great seruyce that ye haue done in tyme past to kynge Edwarde and to the prince his sonne and to the crowne of Englande aswell on this syde the see as byonde hath done you great ayde for the kyng hath pyte on you and hath grauÌ„ted you your lyfe But it is ordayned by iudgement that ye shall go in to the ysle of Wight and lyue there as longe as ye can and shall haue suffycient of your owne to maynteyne there your estate soberly but ye maye neuer departe thens The erle toke this punysshement a worthe and thaÌ„ked the kyng and his counsayle for sauyng of his lyfe and so made hym redy to go thyder at the daye apoynted In the whiche ysle was space sufficient for a lorde to kepe his estate enuyroned with the See Thus passed forthe these Iudgementes in Englande at that season whiche multiplyed dayly worse worse as ye shall here after WHan the dethe of the duke of gloucestre was knoweÌ„ by the dukes of Lancastre and of yorke incoÌ„tinent they knewe well that the kynge their nephue had caused hym to be slayne and murdered at Calays As than these two dukes were nat toguyder eche of theÌ„ were at their owne plates They wrote eche to other to knowe what were best to do and so they came to London For they knewe well that the londoners were nat content with the dethe of the duke their brother Whan they mette there toguyder they tooke couÌ„sayle and sayd Suche dedes ought nat to be suffred as to putte to dethe so hyghe a priÌ„ce as was their brother for ydell wordes and false reportes For they sayd though he spake oftentymes of the breakyng of the peace yet he neuer brake it And bytwene sayenge and doyng is great difference for by reason of wordes he ought nat to deserue dethe by suche cruell punycion these two dukes were in the case to haue put all Englande to great trouble and there were ynowe redy to counsayle them therto and specially them of the erle of Arundelles lynage and of the erle of Staffordes whiche was a great kynred in Englande The kyng as than was at ElthaÌ„ and had sente for all suche as helde of hym in chiefe And he had redy assembled toguyder about London in Kent and Essexe mo than ten thousande archers And sir Iohan Hollande his brother was with hym and therle Marshall and the erle of Salisbury and a great nombre of lordes and knyghtes the kyng sent to theÌ„ of London that they shulde nat receyue the duke of Lancastre They answered and sayd They knewe no cause that the duke hadde done why they shulde refuce hym The duke of Lancastre was at LoÌ„don and
than dissymuled the mater as moche as he coulde and suffred them to make their prouysyon where they lyst THe newes spredde abrode in dyuers countreys of the defyaunce bytwene the erle of Derby and the erle Marshall Many men spake therof in dyuers maners and specyally in Fraunce They sayd lette theym alone the knyghtes of Englande are ouer proude at length they wyll dystroy eche other for it is the worste nacyon in the worlde vnder the sonne for in that realme dwelleth the moste presumptuous people that canne be Other there were that spake more so berly and sayde that the kynge of Englande shewed no wysdome nor was nat well counsayled whanne for wylde wordes he to suffre suche two noble men of his blode to enterprise armes in defyaunce he shulde rather whan he herde the wordes fyrste haue sayde to them bothe ye are two lordes of my blode and lygnage wherfore I cōmaunde you bothe to be in peace and lette nouther hate nor rancoure engendre bytwene you but be frendes louers and cosyns togyther and if this lande canne nat contente you go in to what countrey ye wyll and seke aduentures of armes there If the kynge had sayde those wordes and apeased these lordes thus than he had done wysely The duke of Lancastre was sore dyspleased in his mynde to se the kynge his nephewe mysse vse hym selfe in dyuers thynges as he dyd he consydred the tyme to come lyke a sage prince and somtyme sayd to suche as he trusted best Our nephue the kynge of Englande wyll shame all or he cease he beleueth to lyghtly yuell counsayle who shall distroy hym and symply if he lyue longe he wyll lese his realme and that hath been goten with moche coste and trauayle by our predecessours and by vs he suffreth to engendre in this realme bytwene the noble men hate and dyscorde by whom he shulde be serued and honoured and this lande kepte and douted He hath caused my brother to dye whiche is one thynge to be noted and the erle of Arundell bycause they shewed hym trouthe but he wolde nat here them nor none other that wolde coūsayle hym agaynst his appetyte He canne nat better dystroye his realme than to put trouble and hatred bytwene the noble men and good townes the frenche men are right subtyle for one myschiefe that falleth amonge vs they wolde it were ten for otherwyse they canne nat recouer their dōmages nor come to their ententes but by our owne meanes and dyscorde bytwene our selfe And wese dayly that all realmes deuyded are dystroyed it hath been sene by the realme of Fraunce Spayne Naples and by landes of the churche as we maye se dayly by the two popes whiche is and shall be to their dystructyon also it hath been sene by the countrey of Flaunders howe by their owne meanes they are distroyed Also presently it is sene by the lande of Frece with whome our cosyns of Haynalt are in warre and howe the frenche men amonge theym selfe are dystroyed in lykewyse amonge ourselfe without god prouyde for vs we shall dystroy our selfe the apparaunce therof sheweth greatly Nowe the kynge suffereth that my sonne and heyre shall do batayle for a thynge of nought and I that am his father maye nat speake to the contrary for myne owne honoure and for my sonnes for my sonne hathe the body of a knyght mete to entre in to armes agaynst the erle Marshall howe be it take the best therof they shall neuer loue agayne togyder as they dyd before Thus said the duke of Lancastre ALl the seasone that these two lordes dyd prouyde to do dedes of armes at vtteraunce the duke of Lancastre came neuer at the kyng nor but lytell at his sonne and that he dyd for a polycy for the Duke knewe well that his sonne was marueylously well beloued in Englande both with noble men and with other and specyally with the londoners for they had promysed and sayd to hym Syr be ye of good comforte in this busynesse for howesoeuer the matter tourne ye shall scape with honour whether the kynge wyll or nat or all the Marmosettes aboute hym for we knowe well this mater is made and conueyed by enuy to the entente to driue you out of the realme bycause ye be well beloued with many men and if so be that ye departe in trouble ye shall entre agayne with ioye for ye ought rather to rule than Rycharde of Burdeaulx for they that wyll seke out the profoundenesse of the mater maye well knowe fro whence ye came and fro whence he came wherby they maye knowe that ye be more nerer to the crowne of Englande than Rycharde of Burdeaulx though we haue made to hym faythe and homage and haue helde hym for our kyng more thanne this twenty yere but that was by fauour and purchase of his grauntfather good kynge Edwarde who douted of this poynte that we nowe speke of and on a tyme great question was made bytwene kyng Edwarde your grauntfather by youre father syde and duke Henry of Lancastre your grauntfather by your mother syde the Lady Blaunche of Lancastre but the lordes of Englande that than reygned apeased the matter for kynge Edwarde was so valyaunt a man and so happy in all his enterprises that he had the loue of all his people poore and riche nor also your grauntfather of Lancastre wolde nothynge to the Kynge but well and good and serued the kynge in his tyme nobly and trewly so that he is as yet to be recommaunded These maters well consydred by kynge Rycharde he myght well repente hym that he is no better gouerned than he is Suche wordes these londoners spake thoughe they knewe but lytell of the trouth that they spake was of a synguler fauoure The erle of Derby receyued their wordes well a worthe and dayly prepared for the batayle and he desyred his frendes to be at that iourney and so euery man prepared hymselfe accordynge to the Erles desyre THe kynge all the season that these two lordes prepared for their batayle he had many ymagynacyons whether he shuld suffre them to fyght or nat Thoughe he were kynge of Englande and more douted than any other kynge before hym yet nyght and daye he kept about hym a garde of two thousande archers who were payed their wages wekely for the kynge trusted nat greatly in theym that were nexte of his blode excepte his brother the erle of Huntyngton and the erle of Salisbury and the erle of Rutlande his cosyn germayne sonne to the duke of yorke who was well in the kynges fauoure and certayne knyghtes of his chambre as for all other he cared lytell for Whan the day aproched that these two lordes shulde do their dedes of armes as they hadde promysed and had euery thynge redy prepared Than on a daye certayne of the kynges counsayle came to the kynge and demaunded what was his entencyon that these two lordes shulde do and sayde Sir wyll ye suffre theym to fyght ye truelye
other thinges parteynynge to a fortresse and also he was of his person hygh and cruell and wolde nat be abasshed for a lytell thynge The marshall of Fraunce departed fro pount saynt Spyrite and passed with all his company by the towne of Orenge by consent of the prince of Orenge and so entred in to the countre of Venyce whiche was lande parteygnynge to the churche the whiche anone was ouer rynne and the men of warre passed at the bridge of Sourgnes and so they were lordes of all the ryuer and the marshall taryed in the towne of Sourgnes with a gret nombre of menne of warre to kepe the towne and passage and also the garysone of Noues whiche partayned to the pope Than the marshall went and lodged at saynt Verayne nere to Auignon and his men therabout and dayly came thyder men of warre so that the cytie of Auignon was closed in before and behinde by lande and by the ryuer so that nothynge coulde entre nor issue without leaue for at the towne of Noue without Auygnon whiche partayned to the realme of Fraunce was the seneschall of Beaucayre with fyue hundred men and kepte the entre on that syde and the marshall of FrauÌ„ce with two thousande men was on the other syde of Auignon and he sent to theym of the cytie that without they wolde obey and open their cytie that he wolde burne all their vynes and houses abrode in the countrey aboute to the ryuer of Dureuse That soÌ„monynge greatly abasshed the men and women within the cytie for their herytages laye without Auignon vnto the ryuer of Dureuse Than they went to counsayle without knowledge of the pope and they called to their counsayle certayne cardynals as the cardynall of Amyence of Poictours of Newcastell of Viuyers and dyuers other Than suche as had moste to lose shewed these cardynalles howe the marshall of Fraunce had thretened them to brinne their vynes and their howses and all this had caused the frenche kynge agaynst whome they coulde nat resyste for his puyssaunce was so nere them and all thynges consydred they sayde they were better to obey to the frenche kynge than to holde their paryllous opynyons for of Benedyc they coulde haue no ayde nor comforte and they demaunded of these cardynalles if they wolde ioyne and take their parte The cardynals said they were content to take their wayes for vitayles beganne to fayle theym and also their benefyces were in the realme of Fraunce whiche they sayd they wolde nat wyllyngly lese So they entred in to treatie with the marshall of Fraunce the whiche toke suche effecte that all the men of warre entred in to the cytie of Auignon and it was apoynted to besiege the palays their couynaunt was to do no hurte nor dyspleasure to the cardynalles nor to none of their men nor to the hole body of the towne This to do the marshall promysed So they entred in to Auignon and lodged at their ease and lybertie and than all the passages as well by lande as by water were opened to the entent that all maner of bytayle myght come to the cytie WHen he that wrote him selfe pope Benedyc beynge closed in his palays sawe that the cardynals and the men of the cytie had made a treatie with the marshall of Fraunce without his counsayle or aduyse he was therwith sore dyspleased howe be it he sayd that he wolde nat submytte hym selfe to dye in the payne and so he kepte hym selfe close in his palais which was as stronge a place as any in the worlde and most easyest to be kepte so that it be well vytayled This pope had sent letters to the kynge of Aragone instantly to socoure hym in his nede and to sende him men of warre that he myght be able to resyst the marshall of Fraunce also he sente the kynge worde in his letter that if he coulde get hym thens fro Auignon he wolde go and kepe his see apostolyke in Aragon at Parpygnon or at Barcelone The kynge of Aragon sawe well the popes letters but he made no force of them and sayd to his couÌ„sayle that were aboute hym What weneth this preest that to susteyne hym and his argumentes I shall enterpryse to make warre agaynste the frenche kyng to ayde hym than I might well be reputed a fole Syr quod his counsayle ye say trouthe ye haue no nede to medle in that mater for syr ye may be sure the frenche kynge hath suche counsayle aboute hym that he wolde make no warre agaynst hym without a iuste cause lette the clergy alone for if they purpose to lyue the prelates must obey the great lordes 〈◊〉 whome their rentes and reuenues are they haue longe kept them in peace And also syrâ—he frenche kynge hath writen to you all redy desyringe you to determyne you and your countrey to be newter as he is and wyll be and syr ye were beste so to do for my lady the quene who is the Frenche kynges cosyn germayne is content so to be and so is the moste parte of your realme and the clergy in lykewyse and specyally Catelone and Spayne and syr we thynke it is the best opynion for if all cristen kynges do nat the same the churche shall neuer come to vnyte by reasone of two popes Thus the kynge of Aragon and his counsayle deuysed togyder and pope Benedic was styll in his palays trustynge to haue ayde of the kynge of Aragon but he was dysceyued and the marshall of FrauÌ„ce was with in the cytie of Auygnon and the palays was so kept that none coulde issue out nor entre in They lyued with that store they had for of vytayles they had suffycient for two or thre yere but they lacked woode to make fyre with all and to sethe their meate whiche made theym abasshed Euery weke the marshall herde newes fro the frenche kynge and the kynge fro hym and the kynge coÌ„maunded hym that he shulde nat departe thens tyll he had atchyued his enterprise Thus the pope coude nat issue out of the palays there was suche watche layde on hym THe conclusyon was whan this Benedyc sawe that he was so straytely kepte and that fyre fayled hym and other prouysions dayly dyscreased and sawe that no comforte nor ayde came to hym fro no parte at laste he yelded at the request of certayne of the cardynalles and the treatie was thus that he shulde nat departe out of Auignon tyll there were made an vnyon in the churche and a certayne garde was sette aboute hym and the cardynalles and ryche men of Auignon bounde them selfe to kepe this Benedyc so strayte that they shulde rendre accompte of hym agayne outher quycke or dede Suche cardynals as had their benefyces in Fraunce tooke great payne to make this treatie and composycion for they sayde all with one accorde that they wolde abyde with the frenche kynge Thus this busynesse ended at that tyme and euery man departed and the Marshall went to Parys and anone
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 coÌ„maunded theÌ„ who toke the way to Wyndsore and came thyder and moost parte of the LoÌ„doners retourned to London other to their owne places the duke of LaÌ„castre deê‘ted fro wynsore wolde nat ride by Colbroke but toke the way by Shene so caÌ„e 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 ê‘sones to the yong quene who was at Ledes in Kent And they caÌ„e to the lady Coucy who was seconde persone there next to the quene and sayd to her Madame make you redy for ye must deê‘te 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 coÌ„pany 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 ê‘sones 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 FraÌ„ce 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 LaÌ„castre 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 coÌ„mon 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 LoÌ„don a. xxiiii thousaÌ„de 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 SpeÌ„ser 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 thanÌ„e 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 maÌ„ner 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 couÌ„saylours 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 coÌ„maunded 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 LoÌ„don than the duke of Lancastre and his couÌ„sayle toke aduyse what shulde be done with kyng Richarde beyng in the towre of LoÌ„don where as kyng Iohan of Fraunce was kept whyle kynge Edwarde wente in to the Realme of FrauÌ„ce 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 couÌ„sayle and by whome he was most ruled he named them in trust therby to haue ben delyuered himselfe in
letters and wytnesse of all the prelates and lordes there beynge present Than Rycharde of Burdeaux retourned agayne in to the chambre fro whence he came Than the duke of Lancastre and all other lept on their horses and the crowne and ceptour were put in a cofer and conueyed to the abbey of Westmynster and there kept in the treasory And euery man wente to their lodgynges and abode tyll the day of parliament and counsayle shulde be at the palays of Westmynster ¶ Of the coronacyon of kyng Henry duke of Lancastre by the consent of the realme the maner of the feest Cap. CC.xlv IN the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore nynetene the last daye of septembre on a tuysday began a parlyament at Westmynster holden by Henry duke of Lancastre at whiche tyme there was assembled prelates and clergy of the realme of Englande a great nombre and also dukes erles and barones and of euery towne a certayne Thus the people assembled at Westmynster there beynge presente the duke of Lancastre and there the same duke chalenged the realme of Englande and desyred to be kynge by thre reasones Fyrst by conquest secondly bycause he was heyre And thyrdly bycause Rycharde of Burdeaur had resygned the Realme in to his handes by his free wyll in the presence of certayne dukes erles prelates and barones in the hall within the towre of London These thre causes shewed the duke of Lancastre requyred all the people there present as well one as other to shewe their myndes and ententes in that behalfe Than all the people with one voyce sayd that their wylles was to haue him kynge and howe they wolde haue none other but hym Than the duke agayne sayd to the people Sirs is this your myndes and they all with one voyce sayde ye ye And than the duke sate downe in the syege royall whiche seate was reysed vp in the hall and couered with a clothe of estate so that euery man myght well se hym sytte And than the people lyfted vp their handes a hygh promysing hym their faythe and allegyaunce Thanne the parlyament coÌ„cluded and the day was taken for his coronacyon of saynt Edwardes day the monday the .xiii. day of Octobre at whiche tyme the saturday before his coronacyon he departed fro Westmynster and rode to the towre of London with a great nombre and that night all suche squyers as shulde be made knyghtes the nexte day watched who were to the nombre of .xlvi. Euery squier had his owne bayne by him selfe and the next day the duke of Lancastre made theym all knyghtes at the masse tyme. Than had they longe cotes with strayte sleues furred with mynyuer lyke prelates with whyte laces hangynge on their shuldes And after dyner the duke departed fro the towre to Westmynster rode all the way bareheeded and aboute his necke the lyuery of Fraunce He was acompanyed with the prince his sonne and syxe dukes syxe erles and .xviii. barons and in all knyghtes and squyers a nyne hundred horse Than the kynge had on a shorte cote of clothe of golde after the maner of Almayne and he was mounted on a whyte couâ—ser and the garter on his left legge Thus the duke rode through London with a great nombre of lordes euery lordes seruaunt in their maysters lyuery All the but gesses lombardes marchauntes in London and euery craft with their lyuerey and deuyse Thus he was conueyed to Westmynster He was in nombre a syxe thousaÌ„de horse and the streates hanged as he passed by and the same day and the next there were in London rynnynge seuen cundyttes with wyne whyte and reed That nyght the duke was bayned and the next mornynge he was confessed and herde thre masses as he was acustomed to do and than all the prelates and clergy came fro Westmynster churche to the palays to fetche the kynge with procession and so he went to the churche a procession and all the lordes with hym in their robes of scarlet furred with menyuer barred of their shulders acordynge to their degrees and ouer the kynge was borne a clothe of estate of blewe with four belles of golde and it was borne by four burgesses of the portes as Douer and other And on euery syde of him he had a sword borne the one the sworde of the churche and the other the sworde of iustyce The sworde of the church his sonne the prince dyd beare and the sworde of iustyce therle of Northumberlande dyd beare for he was as than constable of Englande for the erle of Rutlande was deposed fro that offyce and the erle of Westmerlande who was marshall of Englande bare the ceptour Thus they entred in to the churche about nyne of the clocke and in the myddes of the churche there was an hygh scaffolde all couered with reed and in the myddes therof there was a chayre Royall couered with clothe of golde Than the kyng sate downe in that chayre and so sate in estate royall sauynge he had nat on the crowne but sate bare heeded Than at four corners of the scaff olde the archebysshop of Caunterbury shewed vnto the people howe god had sent them a man to be their kyng and demaunded if they were content that he shulde be consecrated and crowned as their kynge And they all with one voyce sayd yea helde vp their handes promysynge him faythe and obeysaunce Than the kynge rose and wente downe the scaffolde to the hygh auter to be sacred at whiche consecracyon there were two archbysshoppes and ten bysshops and before the aulter theâ— he was dispoyled out of all his vestures of estate there he was anoynted in vi places on the heed on the brest on the two shulders behynde and on the handes Than a bonet was ser on his heed and whyle he was anoyntynge the clergy sange the latyny and suche seruyce as they synge at the halowing of the fonte Than that kinge was aparelled lyke a prelate of the churche â–ª with a cope of reed sylke and a payre of spurres with a poynte without a rowell Than the sworde of iustyce was drawen out of the shethe and halowed and than it was taken to the kyng who dyd put it agayne in to the sheth than the archebysshop of Caunterbury dyd gyrde the sworde about hym than saynt Edwardes crowne was brought forthe whiche is close aboue and blessed and than the archebysshop dyd sette it on the kynges heed After masse the kyng departed out of the churche in the same estate and went to his palays and there was a fountayne that ranne by dyuers braunches whyte wyne and reed Than the kyng entred in to the hall and so in to a priuy chamber and after came out agayne to dyner At the fyrst table sate the kynge At the seconde the fyue peres of the realme at the thyrde the valaunt men of London at the fourth the newe made knightes At the fyft the knyghtes and squiers of honour And by the kyng stode
but right iustyce Than a seuyn of them all with one voyce answered and sayde Right redouted souerayne sayng your gracyous displeasure as for iustyce in your realme is right feble your grace knoweth nat all nor canne nat knowe your grace nouther demaundeth for it nor enquereth therfore and suche as be of your couÌ„sayle forbere to shewe it you bycause of their owne profyte For sir it is no iustyce to cutte of heedes handes and fete suche maner of punysshmentes be nat laudable But sir good iustice is to kepe your people in ryght and to sette suche wayes and order as they myght lyue in peace that they shulde haue none occasyon to grudge or to make any commosyon And sir we saye that ye sette vs to longe a daye as to Mighelmas sir we may be neuer so well eased as nowe Wherfore sir we saye all by one assente that we wyll haue accompte and that shortely of them that hath gouerned your realme sythe your Coronacyon And we wyll knowe Where youre Reuenewes is become with all the taxes tayles and subsydies this nyne yeres paste and wheron they haue been bestowed If suche as are your treasourers make a good accompte or nere thervnto we shall be ryght ioyouse and suffre them to gouerne styll And if they can nat acquyte them selfe therin trewly they shal be refourmed by youre deputyes establysshed to that purpose as my lordes your vncles other With those wordes the kynge behelde his vncles helde his peace to se what they wolde saye Than sir Thomas duke of Gloucester sayde Sir in the request and prayer of these good people the commons of your realme I se nothynge therin but ryght and reasone Sir quod the duke of yorke it is of trouthe and so sayde all the other prelates and barons that were there present Than the duke of Gloucester sayde agayne Sir it is but reason that ye knowe where your good is become The kyng sawe well howe they were all of one accorde and sawe howe this chafe Marmosettes durst speke no worde for there were to many gret men agaynst them Well quod the kyng I am content Lette them be rydde awaye for sommer season cometh on and huntynge tyme whervnto we wyll nowe entende Than the kynge sayd to the people Sirs wolde ye haue this mater shortely dispatched yea sir quod they and that humbly we beseche your grace And also we beseche all my lordes here and specyally my lordes your vncles to be there at We are content quod they for the apeysyng of all parties as well for the kynge as for the Realme for oure parte lyeth therin Than they sayde agayne We desyre also the reuerende father in god the archebysshoppe of Caunterbury the bysshoppe of Lyncolne and the bysshoppe of Wynchester to be there They aunswered and sayde they were content so to be Than agayn they desyred all other lordes to be there that were there present as the erle of Salisbury and the Erle of Northumberlande sir Reynolde Cobham sir Guy Brian sir IohnÌ„ Felton sir Mathewe Gourney and moreouer they sayd they wolde ordayne that of euery good cytie and towne in Englande there shulde be a thre or four notable persons and they shulde determyne for all the hole coÌ„montie of Englande Than this mater was determyned and to assemble the vtas of saint George at Westmynster And there all the treasourers collectours and offycers of the kynges to be there and to make there accomptes before these sayd lordes The kyng was content therwith and was brought to it by fayrenesse and nat byfore by the desyre of his vncles and other lordes It semed to hym behouable to knowe where his treasoure was become Thus amiably euery man deê‘ted fro Wyndsore and the lordes went to London the treasourers and other offycers were sende for throughout the realme to come with their full accomptes on payne of dishonourynge losse of all that they had and lyfe ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the day of accompte came and there the officers appered in the presence of the kynges vncles commens of EnglaÌ„de and howe sir Simon Burle was prisoner iÌ„ the toure of London and howe sir Thomas Tryuet dyed Cap. xciii THe day prefixed came that all ê‘tes apered at westmynster suche as shulde make their accomptes apered before the kynges vncles and suche other prelates and lordes with other as were assigned to here theÌ„ This accompte endured more than a moneth and some there were that made their accomptes nother good nor honourable suche were punisshed bothe by their bodyes and by their goodes sir Symon Burle was cast in arerage of .ii. C. and l. M. frankes bycause he was one of the gouernours in the kynges youthe And he was demaunded where this good was bestowed he excused hym selfe by the bysshop of yorke sir Wylliam Neuell sayeng howe he dyde nothyng but by their counsayle and by the kynges chamberleyns ser Robert Tryuilyen sir Robert Beauchampe sir Iohn Salisbury sir Nycholas Braule sir Peter Goufer and other And whan they were demauÌ„ded therof before the counsaile they denyed the mater layd all the faute in hym And the duke of Irelande sayd to hym priuely bytwene them two Sir Symon I vnderstande ye shal be arested and sette in prison and holde there tyll ye haue payed the soÌ„me that is demaunded nothyng shal be abated Go your waye whether soeuer they sende you I shall rightwell make your peace thoughe they had all sworne the contrary I ought to receyue of the constable of FrauÌ„ce threscore M. frankes for the raunsome of Iohan of Bretaygne sonne to saynt Charles of Bloys the whiche soÌ„me ye knowe well is owyng to me I shall present the counsayle therwith at this tyme. And fynally the kyng is our soueraigne lorde he shall pardon and forgyue it you clerely for the profet ought to be his and no mannes els Syr ê™ sir Symon Burle if I thought nat that ye shulde helpe agaynst the kynge and to beare out my dedes I wolde departe out of Englande and go in to Almayne and to the kyng of Beame for thyder I coulde be welcome and so let the mater rynne a season tyll the worlde be better apeased Than the duke sayde I shall neuer fayle you we are companyons and all of one sect ye shall take day to pay their demauÌ„de I knowe well ye maye pay and ye lyste in redy money more than a hundred thousande frankes ye nede nat feare the dethe ye shall nat be brought to that poynte ye shall se the mater otherwise chaunge before the feast of saynt Michell whan I haue the kyng ones at my wyll wherof I ame sure For all that he dothe now at this tyme is by force and agaynst his wyll We muste apease these cursed londoners and lay downe this slaunder brute that is nowe raysed agaynst vs and ours SIr Symon Burle had a lytell truste on the wordes of the duke of Irelande and so came before the lordes
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 Lācastre 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 dōmage 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 accōplisshed 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 Lōbardy 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 Lōbardy 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 whan̄e 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 Frēche kyng and his vncles the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne consented therto bycause they wolde haue their countreis clene auoyded of the cōpanyons and routes of pyllars suche as had often tymes greued sore their coūtreys 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 munysiōs 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 cōpanyons 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