were in great daunger and also it was sayd that by their counsaile the kyng toke on hym the iourney in to Bretaygne wherby he fell in to that maladye of Fransey and had gyuen hym drinkes of poyson at their pleasure and howe that the kynges phisycions coude nat be herde nor beleued by reason of them Suche maters were layde to the lorde de la Ryuers charge and to sir Iohan Mercyer that they were delyuered out of the Castell of Loure in to the handes of the prouost of Paris and putte in to the castell of saynt Anthony in the kepyng of the Vicount of Achy who as than was Chateleyne there Whan it was knowen that they were there thā the cōmon brute ran that they shulde be executed to dethe But to saye trouthe there was no cause why to trouble them For suche as hated them coude fynde in their conscyence no cause why they ought to dye But euery daye they were borne in hande and it was sayd to theym Sirs thynke on youre soules for as for your bodyes are but loste for ye are iudged to dye and for to be beheeded In this case they were in Prisone a greate space The Begue of Vyllayns a ryght valyaunt knyght in armes of the countrey of Beance who was in prisone also for the same cause He had suche frendes and was so ayded that he was delyuered out of prison and was clene pardoned of all thynges And suche as were of his lynage as sir Barroys other counsayled hym to go in to Castyle where as he had fayre herytages by reason of his wyfe countesse of Ribydewe and as he was counsayled so he dyede And as soone as he might departed out of Fraunce went in to Castyle and the other two knightes remayned styll in prison in daunger of losyng of their lyues ALl the mouable and vnmouable godes and possessions parteyninge to sir Iohan Mercyer within Parys and without in the realme of Fraunce that myght be layde hande on was taken as goodes forfaite and gyuen to other persons his fayre house of the bridge of Aubumen in the dioces of Laon whiche had cost hym a great good was gyuen to the lorde Coucy with all the appurtenaūce I knowe nat wheder the lorde of Coucy desyred it or nat but sir Iohan Mercier was disheryted he and his heyres for euer Also the lorde de la Ryuer was sore handled Trewe it was all his mouables was taken awaye and suche landes as he had bought reseruynge to the lady of Mans his wyfe all her herytages whiche came by her by father mother Also he had a yonge damosell to his doughter of .x. yere or age who was maryed to a yonge gentylman called Iaques of Chastellon sonne to sir Hugh of Chastellon who had ben before maister of the crosbowes of Fraunce and he was heyre to his father and had fayre herytages and was lykely to enioye more howe be it agaynst the yonge mannes mynde he was dismaryed And maryed agayne to another gentylwoman at the pleasure of the duke of Burgoyne and of the lorde de la Tremoyle who toke on them that quarell more ouer the lorde de la Riuer had a sonne to his heyre whiche sonne was maryed to the doughter of the erle Dampmartyne And the erle had no mo children nor was nat lyke to haue whiche doughter was his heyre And the duke wolde haue broken that maryage haue maryed her vnto an heyre of blode But the erle Dampmartyne lyke a valyaunt knight wolde nat but sayd As long as the lorde de la Ryuers sonne hadde lyfe in his body his doughter shulde haue none other husbande and sayde he wolde putte her herytage in to suche mēnes handes that he trusted suche as wolde wrōgfully haue it shulde nat attayne therto Whan the erles mynde was knowen they let hym alone So that maryage stode styll but the fyrst maryage was broken and pope Clement made a dispensacyon wheder he wolde or nat for as at that tyme the pope had no more puissaunce in Fraunce Than suche as the gouernours wolde consente to The churche was so subiecte what by reason of the Scisme and by them that gouerned Fraunce Many men specially in the realme of Fraūce excused greatly the lorde de la Ryuer but all that wolde nat serue For none durst speke thoughe they sawe the mater neuer so clere Except all onely the valyāt lady Iane of Boloyne duchesse of Berrey Oftentymes the good lady wolde fall on her knees before her husbande holdynge vp her handes and sayeng Ah sir ye suffre to moche the enuyous to enforme you so wrongfullye agaynst the valyaunt knight The lorde de la Ryuer he hath clerely wronge there is none that dare speke for hym but I. And sir I wyll ye knowe that if he dye thus I shall neuer haue ioye in this worlde but I shall alwayes contynue styll in sorowe and heuynesse for he is a trewe and a valyant knight Ah sir ye cōsyder but lytell the fayre seruyce that he hath done to you or this tyme the paynes and traueyle that he hath hadde for you and for me to bring vs togyder in maryage I saye it nat for any thyng of bostyng of my selfe for I am but lytell worthe in comparyson to you But whan ye wolde nedes haue me ye remembre howe harde the erle of Foiz was to you with whom I was brought vp And if the swete wordes and wyse demeanour of the lorde de la Ryuer had nat been I had neuer come in to your company but I had ben rather as nowe in Englāde For the duke of Lācastre wolde haue had me for his sonne the erle of Derby and the erle of Foiz enclyned rather that waye thā to you Right dere sir ye ought to remēbre this for all that I say is true Wherfore I requyre you right hūbly that this gentyll knight who brought me to you haue no dōmage of his body nor of his membres The duke of Berrey who sawe his wyfe fayre and gentyll and loued her with all his hert and also knewe well that all she had sayd was true it molifyed greatly his herte towardes the lorde de la Ryuer and to apease his wyfe because he sawe she spake with good herte sayd vnto her Dame as god helpe me I wolde it had cost me .xx. thousāde frankes on the condycion the lorde de la Ryuer had neuer made forfette to the crowne of Fraunce for before this malady came to the kynge I loued hym entierly and tooke hym for a wyse and a sage knyght but sythe ye desyre so effectuously for hym I wyll do no dyspleasure to hym he shall fare moche the better at your instaunce and for your sake I shall do as moche for hym as my power may extende and rather at your desyre than and all the realme had spoken for hym for surely I se well it is almes to helpe hym and I beleue he hath no aduocate but you Thus
the erle of Derby his sonne and also the duke of yorke and his sonne Iohan erle of Rutlande The kyng loued the erle of Rutlande beyonde measure who dissymuled the dethe of his vncle the duke of Gloucestre shewed howe he wolde gladly se a good peace bytwene the parties said howe he knew well that his vncle dyde wronge oftentymes agaynst the kynge The londoners in lykewyse consydred the great myschiefe that myght fall in Englande by the discencyon bytwene the kynges vncles the kyng and their alyaunces Also they consydred syth the myschefe was fallen of the duke of Gloucestres dethe that there was no recouery therin they knewe well it was bycause the duke of Gloucestre had been to lauesse of his tonge and wolde haue styrred the realme to haue broken the trewce bytwene Englande and Fraunce Wherfore suche as were wyse men in the cytie dissymuled the mater and thought it was no tyme to a mende it as than they feared the puyssaūce of Fraunce and lesynge of their marchaundyse Than beganne to treate and went as a meane bytwene the king and the duke of Lancastre who was in many imagynacions for the dethe of his brother troubled him sore Also he sawe howe his nephue kynge Rycharde was alyed by mariage with the frenche kyng Also the duke of Lancastre had .ii. of his doughters out of the lande one quene of Spayne a nother quene of Portugale by whome he thought he shulde haue great ayde if he made warre agaynst his nephue kynge Rycharde All thynges consydred the duke chaunged his courage at the desyre of the londoners and of other prelates of Englande who were meane bytwene the kyng and hym and by their meanes the kynge was agreed with the duke and peace made with that the kinge promysed fro thens forwarde to be gouerned by the duke of Lancastre and to do nothyng but by his counsayle and aduyse whiche promesse the kynge nothynge fulfylled but was counsayled by yonge and wylde coūsayle whiche was to his hurte and great dōmage as ye shall here after in this hystory THus the kyng of Englande had peace with his vncles bycause of the dethe of the duke of Gloucestre Than he beganne to reygne more fiersly than he dyd before The kynge went and lay in Essex where as the duke of Gloucestre had the chiefe rule whiche ought to haue pertaygned to Affcen his sonne and heyre but the kynge toke all for the ordynaunce in Englande was the kynge to haue the warde of all herytours chyldren orphelyns vnder the age of .xxi. yeres and than they to haue their herytages Thus the kinge tooke the wardeshyppe of his cosyn the duke of Gloucestres herytour and the kynge toke the possession profyte of all the dukes lande and kepte the chylde with hym And the duchesse of Gloucestre and her two doughters were with the quene The duke of Gloucestr◠by enherytaunce was constable of Englande the kynge toke that offyce fro the right heyre and gaue it to his cosyn the erle of Rutlande The kynge than kept greate state than euer he dyd nor there had nat ben no kynge before in Englande that spente so moche yerely by a hundred thousande nobles as he dyd In lyke wyse the kynge had with hym the heyre of the erle of Arundell who was beheeded at London And bycause a knyght that was belongyng to the duke of Gloucestre called Cerbe spake at a tyme certayne wordes agaynst the kynge and his counsayle he was taken and beheeded Syr Iohan of Quynghay was in great parell but whan he sawe that the maters went so dyuersely as they dyd he dyssymuled as moch as he might and departed fro the duchesse of Gloucestres house and wente and dwelt in other places ¶ In those dayes there was none so great in Englande that durst speake agaynst any thynge that the kyng dyd or wolde do He had counsayle mete for his appetyte who exhorted hym to do what he lyst The kynge kept styll in his wages ten thousande archers night and day that wayted on him for he reputed himselfe nat parfytely sure of his vncles nor of the lygnage of Arundell ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Of the great assemble that was made in the cytie of Reyns as well by the emperour as of the realme of Fraūce on the state of holy churche Cap. CC.xxvii THe same seasone there was a great assēble of gret lordes in the cytie of Reynes what of lordes of the empyre and of Fraunce to the entent to bring the churche to a peace and reste for the frenche kynge dyd so moche that at his request his cosyn the kynge of Almayne came to the cytie of Reynes with his counsayle and bycause they wolde nat haue it brewted that they assembled there all onely for the mater by twent the popes the one at Rome and the other at Auygnon they made it to be noysed that they came thyder to treate for a maryage of the sonne of the marques of Blācquebourge with the doughter of the duke of Orlyaunce This Marques was brother to the kynge of Almayne The frenche kyng lay at the archebysshoppes palayes and there was with hym the dukes of Orlyaūce Berrey and Burbon therle of saynt Powle and dyuers other hygh barones and prelates of Fraunce And whan the kinge of Almayne entred in to the cytie all the lordes and prelates and kynge Charles of Nauer who was in lykewyse there went to mete with hym and receyued hym honourably Fyrste they brought hym to our lady churche and after in to the abbey of saynt Remy there the kynge of Almayne laye and his lordes aboute hym And it was ordeyned by the frenche kinge that what so euer the kynge of Almayne spent shulde be at the frenche kynges cost The almayns had euery day delyuered theym ten tonne of herynge for it was in Lent tyme and eyght hundred carpes besyde other fysshes whiche was a great charge WHan the kyng of Almayne came first to the frenche kynge all the lordes went for hym to saynt Remy and so brought him to the kynges palays Whan these two kynges mette they made great honoure eche to other and great reuerence and specyally the frenche kynge for almayns of nature are rude and grose manered without it be to take their profyte therto they be experte and redy ynough All the lordes of Fraunce and of Almayne toke acquayntaunce eche with other with louyng wordes and countinaunce and the frenche kynge made the kynge of Almayne and his company a great dyner at one table there sate fyrst the patryarke of Iherusalem than the king of Almayne the frenche kynge and the kynge of Nauer there sate no mo at that table At the other tables sate the lordes and prelates of Almayne No lorde of Fraūce sate that day but sarued To the kynges borde the meate was brought by the dukes of Berrey of Burbone the erle of saynt Powle and by other great lordes of Fraūce The duke of Orlyaūce set euery man
castell Nantylleur standyng on these laundes nere to the castell Lameu And as he wente thyderwarde one shewed hym that the castell Nantylleur was voyde and they departed that kepte it ThanÌ„e sir Garses taryed in the selde deuysed what was best than to do Than the seneshall of No besen sayd sir this castell of Nantylleur is in my bayliwyke and it ought to parteyne to the erle of Foiz I praye you let me haue it and I shall make it to be so kepte on my proper coste and charge that no man that wyll any hurte to the contrarye shall neuer entre therin Sir quod they of Tholous he sayeth well and he is a valyant man it were better he had it than another Well quod sir Garses I am content Thus the castell of NaÌ„tylleur was delyuered to the seneschall of Nobesen who incontynent rode thyder and founde it clene voyde Than he newly fortifyed that was broken and heset therin a capitayne a squyer of the countre called Fortefey saynt Poule than he retourned to the siege of Maluoysen where the duke was and also thyder was come sir Garses all his company and shewed the duke all that he had done This siege endured about a .vi. wekes and nighe euery day there was scrimysshinge at the barryers at laste they withoute stopped their water so that their sesterns began to drie and in sixe wekes their fell nat a droppe of rayne the season was so drie and hote and they wtout had ease ynoughe by reason of the fayre ryuer Whan they wtin sawe what case they were in they were sore abasshed for they sawe well they coude nat long endure Wyne they hadde plentie but fresshe water fayled them ThanÌ„e they aduysed to fall in treatie with the duke so they dyde And Raymonde de lespee purchased a saue conduct to go in to the hoost to speke with the duke and so he dyd and sayd Sir if ye wyll be courtesse to me and to my company I shall render in to youre handes the castell of Maluoysen What curtesy wolde ye quod the duke that I shulde shewe you Departe your waye you and all yours in to your owne couÌ„treis and entre nat in to no forteresse that holdeth agaynst vs for if ye do and if I get you or any of you I shall delyuer you to Ioselyn that shall make your beerdes without any rasoure Sir quod Raymonde if we shall deê‘te shall we haue with vs all our bagges and baggages for that we haue wonne it by armes in great aduenture Than the duke studyed a lytell and sayd I am content that ye bere with you as moche as ye may beare in males and somers and none otherwise And if ye haue any prisoners that ye delyuer them to vs. I am coÌ„tent ê™ Raymonde Thus all they within deê‘ted and yelded vp the castell to the duke of Anto we But Raymonde de lespe tourned and be came frenche and serued the duke of Aniowe longe tyme after and went with him in to Italy and there dyed in ascrimysshe before Naples whan the duke of Aniou the duke of Sauoy made their voyage Howe the garison castell of Lourde was cast downe and disconfyted by the great dilygence that the Erle of Foiz made Cap. xxiiii THus quod the knight the duke of Aniou gatte the castell of Maluoysen wherof he great ioye and made it to be kepte by a knyght of Bygore called sir Cyquart of Luperier after he gaue it to the erle of Foiz who kepeth it yet and wyll do as longe as he lyueth And he hath made capitayne there a knyght of Bygore one of his owne lynage called sir Raymon de Lane and whan the duke of Aniou had the possessyon of Maluoysen and had delyuered his countrey fro the Englysshmen and fro the pyllers of the conntre Than he wente and layd seige before the castell of Lourde Than therle of Foiz douted greatly the duke of Aniou bycause he cam so nere hym and wyste nat what he entended Than therle of Foiz assembled togyder knightes and squyers and sent theÌ„ aboute to dyuers garysons and sette his Brother sir Arnolde Guyllame in the towne of Morlens with two hundred speares in the towne of Panne and sir Peter of Cabeston in to the cite of Lestrade with other two hundred speares and sir Monant of NoÌ„nalles went in to the towne of Hart let with a hundred speares and Arnolde Gehe rell in to the towne of Montgeberell with a huÌ„dred speares sit Foulquant Dortery in to the towne of Sanetere with a hundred speares I Espaygne of Lyon was sente to the Mount Marson with two hundred speares There was no castell in all Bierne but that was well prouyded with men of warre and the erle himselfe laye styll at his Castell of Ortayse by his florens Why sir quod I hath he so great plentie of florens sir quod he at this houre I thynke he hath well to the noÌ„bre of .xxx. tymes a hundred thousande There is no lorde lyuenge as now that is so large and lyberall in gyueng of gyftes as he is Than I demaunded of hym to what maner of people he was so lyberall he answered and said to straungers to knightes and squyers comyng through his countre and to haraldes and mynstrels and to euery man that speketh with hym there is none departeth fro him without some reward for if any refuse his gyfte he is nat content A saynt mary sir ê™ I to what entent kepeth he so moche money wher dothe he get it Is his renenues so great to gader toguyder suche treasure sir I wolde gladly knowe this if it pleased you Well sir ê™ the knight ye shall know it but ye haue demauÌ„ded of metwo thynges First ye haue demauÌ„ded of me to what entent he kepeth suche treasure I shall shewe you Th erle of Foiz alway douteth of the warre that he had with therle of Arminake also for the busynesse of his neighbours the frenche kyng and the kynge of Englande whom he wolde nat wyllingly displease For he hath alwayes dissymuled bytwene them duryng all the wary season vnto this present tyme for he neuer armed hym selfe for any of their parties He hath alwayes been euer in good case with bothe parties I saye to you so ye shall saye youreselfe whanÌ„e ye haue ones knowlege of hym and herde him speke ones knowe the order and state of his house ye shall se that he is at this daye the moost sage prince in the worlde And there is none so great a lorde nother the frenche kyng nor the kyng of Englande that wyll wyllingly haue his yuell wyll as for his other neighbours as the kyng of Arragon or the kyng of Nauer he estemeth them but lytell for he wyll fynde mo men of armes by reason of suche frendes as he hath gote with his giftes and money that he hath in treasure than bothe those kynges can do For I haue herde hym
was bygge and well made and nat ouer charged with moche flesshe He toke ther with his owne handes the two capitayns the Burge of Coruyle and Perot Palatyne of Bierne and there was slayne a squier of Nauar called FeraÌ„do of Myrando who was an expert man of armes some that were at the busynesse sayd that the Bourge of Spaygne slewe hym and some sayd he was ouercome for heat in his harnesse Finally the praye was rescewed and all taken or slayne that wente therwith ther were but thre saued them selfe and they were varlettesâ— who departed and wente ouer the ryuer of Lysse Thus became of this aduenture They of Lourde neuer loste before so moche as they dyde than They were courtesly raunsomed and dyuers delyuered by exchaunge one for a nother For dyuers of them that fought here at the place of Layre were taken by theÌ„ of Lourd Therfore euery parte were courteyse one to another in raunsomyng of their companyons Ah saynt Mary sir quod I is the Bourge of Spaygne so bygge a man as ye speke of yea sir truely quod he for in all Gascoyne there is none lyke hym in strength of body therfore the erle of Foiz hath hym euer in his company It paste nat a thre yere that he dyde in a sporte a great dede as I shall shewe you So it was on a Christmas day the Erle of Foiz helde a great feest and a plentifull of knightes and squyers as it is his vsage And it was a colde day and the erle dyned in the hall and with hym great company of lordes And after dyner he deê‘ted out of the hall and wente vp in to a galarye of .xxiiii. stayres of heyght in whiche galarye ther was a great Chymney wherin they made fyre whan therle was ther. and at that tyme there was but a small fyre for the erle loued no great fyre how be it he hadde woode ynoughe there about and in Bierne is wode ynoughe The same daye it was a great frost and very colde And whan the erle was in the galarye and sawe the fyre so lytell he sayde to the knightes and squiers about hym Sirs this is but a small fyre the day so colde than Erualton of Spayne went downe the stayres and beneth in the courte he sawe a great meny of Asses laden with woode to serue the house Than he wente and toke one of the grettest Asses with all the Woode and layde hym on his backe and went vp all the stayres in to the galary and dyde cast downe the Asse with all the woode in to the chymney and the Asses fete vpwarde Wherof the erle of Foiz had great ioye and so hadde all they that were there and had marueyle of his strength howe he alone came vp all the stayres with the Asse and the woode in his necke I toke great pleasure in this tale and in other that this knyght sir Espaygne de Leon shewed me wherby I thought my iourney moche the shorter And in shewyng of these maters we passed the pase of Layre and the castell of Martheras where as the batayle was and so we rode nere to the castell of Barbason whiche is stronge fayre and is within a leage of Tarbe whiche we sawe before vs and a fayre waye costyng the ryuer of Lysse comyng fro the mountayns Than we rode fayre and easely at our leysar to refresshe our horses and there he shewed me the ryuer the castell the towne of Mountgalyarde and the waye that laye to Lourde ThanÌ„e it came to my remembraunce to demaunde the knight howe the duke of Aniou whan he was in the countrey and that the castell of Maluoysin was yelded to hiÌ„ came before Lourde and what he dyd there with right a good wyll he shewed me and said Whanne the duke of Aniowe departed frome Maluoysin withall his host he passed ouer the ryuer of Lysse at the bridge of Tourney and wente and lodged at Baguiers where as is a good ryuer goynge to Tarbe for this ryuer of Tourney cometh nat thyder but falleth in to the ryuer of Garon besyde MouÌ„tunllyon and so the duke went and layd siege to Lourde sir Peter Erualton of Bierne and Iohan his brother Peter Danchyn Erualton of Restue Erualton of saynt Colombe and the Mengeant who as than was lyueng and Ferando of Myrando with Olyuer Barbe the Burge of Coruyllacke and the Burge Canuse and certayne other coÌ„panions beyng within Lourde Whan they were well enfourmed of the dukes comynge thyder they fortifyed them and their garyson agaynst hym helde the towne of Lourde for all the sautes that the duke made Whiche fyftene dayes contynually endured and there were many feates of armes done The duke ordayned many Instrumentes of warre for the saute so that finally the towne was wonne but they loste neyther man woman nor good for they were all withdrawen in to the castell For they knewe well at length the towne wolde nat holde for it was closed but with dykes and pales Whan the towne of Lourde was won the Frenche men had great ioye and so lodged in the towne rouÌ„de about the castell whiche was nat prignable without it were with long siege There the duke taryed more than sixe wekes and lost more than he wanne for they without coulde do no hurte to them within for the Castell standeth on a rounde rocke made in suche maner that no man coude aproche it by scalynge nor other wyse but by one entre And there at the barryers were many scrimysshes many feates of armes done and dyuers knightes and squyers of Fraunce were hurte suche as wolde prese to nere Whan the duke sawe howe he coude nat haue his entent to gette the castell of Lourde than he fell in treatie with the capitayne within and offred him moche money to gyue vp the garyson The knight who was of great valyantesse excused hymselfe and said Howe the garyson was nat his but it parteyned to the herytage of the kynge of Englande and sayd Howe he coude nat sell it nor gyue it nor putte it awaye without he shulde be a tray tour whiche in no wyse he wolde be but trewe to his naturall lorde durynge his lyfe moreouer sayd that whan the castell was delyuered hym it was on a condycion whiche he sware solempnely by his faythe in the prince of Wales hande that he shulde kepe the castell of Lourde agaynst all men durynge his lyfe excepte it were agaynst the kyng of Englande The duke coude neuer haue other answere of hym for gyfte nor promyse that he coulde make And whan the duke of Aniou and his couÌ„saile sawe howe they coude haue nothynge els and sawe that they loste their payne they dislodged and at their departynge they clene brent the towne Than the duke of Aniowe drewe backe in coostynge Bierne and rode towarde the Mount Marsen and had knowledge howe the erle of Foiz had fortifyed all his garysons with men of warre wherof he was nothyng
and he went and came agayne and sayd Sir surely he is deed Than the Erle was sore displeased and made great complaynt for his sonne sayd A Gascone What a poore aducnture is this for the for me In an yuell hour thou wentest to Nauar to se thy mother I shall neuer haue the ioye that I had before Than therle caused his barbour to shaue hym and clothed him selfe in blacke and all his house and with moche sore wepyng the childe was borne to the Freres in Ortaise and there buryed Thus as I haue shewed you the erle of Foyz slewe Gascoyne his sonne but the kynge of Nauar gaue the occasyon of his dethe ¶ Howe sir Peter of Byerne had a stronge dysease and of the countesse of Bisquay his wyfe Cap. xxvii WHan I had herde this tale of the dethe of Gascone sonne to the erle of Foyz I hadde great pytie therof for the loue of therle his father whome I founde a lorde of hyghe recoÌ„mendacyon noble lyberall and curtesse And also for loue of the countrey that shulde be in great stryfe tor lacke of an heyre Than I thanked the squyer and so departed fro hym but after I sawe him dyuers tymes in the erles house and talked often tymes with hym And on a tyme I demauÌ„ded of hym of sir Peter of Byerne bastarde brother to therle of Foyz bycause he semed to me a knyght of great valure wheder he were riche and maryed or no. The squyer aunswered sayd Truely he is maryed but his wyfe and chyldren be nat in his company And why sir quod I I shall shewe you quod the squier ¶ This sir Peter of Bierne hathe an vsage that in the night tyme whyle he slepeth he wyll ryse arme hym self and drawe out his swerde and fyght all aboute the house and can nat tell with whome and than gothe to bedde agayne And whan he is wakynge his seruautes do shewe hym howe he dyde And he wolde saye he knewe nothymg therof and howe they lyed soÌ„tyme his seruautes wolde leaue non armure nor swerde in his chaÌ„bre whan he wold thus ryse fynde non armour he wolde make suche a noyse and rumoure as though all the deuylles of helle had ben in his chambre Than I demaunded yf he had great landes by his wyfe yes truely sir quod he But the lady by whom cometh the lande ioyeth of the profytes therof This sir Peter of Bierne hath but the fourthe parte Sir quod I where is his wyfe sir ê™ he she is in Castell with the kynge her cosyn her father was erle of Bisquay and was câ—syn germayne to kyng Dampeter who slewe him and also he wold haue had the lady to haue put her in prisone And he toke the possession of all the lande and as long as he lyued the lady had nothynge there And it was sayd to this lady who was countesse of Bisquay after the dyssease of her father Madame saue youre selfe for kyng Dampeter if he may gette you wyll cause you to dye or els put you in prisone He is so sore displeased with you bycause he sayth ye shulde report and beare wytnesse that he caused the quene his wyfe to dye in her bedde who was suster to the duke of Burbone and suster to the frenche quene your wordes he sayth are beleued rather thanÌ„e another bycause ye were preuy of her chambre And for this cause the lady Florens countesse of Bisquay departed out of her countre with a smalle company as the coÌ„mon vsage is to flye fro dethe as nere as men can So she went in to the countrey of Bascles and passed throughe it and so came hyder to Ortayse to the Erle and shewed hym all her aduenture The erle who had euer pyte of ladyes and damoselles reteyned her and so she abode with the lady of Carase a great lady in his countre As than this sir Peter of byerne his brother was but a yonge knyght and had nat thanne this vsage to ryse a nyghtes as he dothe nowe The erle loued hym well and maryed hym to this lady and recouered her land â–ª And so this sir Peter had by this lady a sonne and a doughter but they be with their mother in Castell who be as yet but yong therfore the lady wolde nat leaue them with their father Ah saynt Mary quod I howe dyde sir Peter of Bierne take this fantasy First that he dare nat slepe alone in his chambre and that whan he is a slepe ryseth thus and maketh all that be synesse they are thynges to be marueyled at By my faithe quod the squyer he hath ben often demaunded therof but he saythe he can nat tell wherof it cometh The first tyme that euer he dyde so was the night after that he had ben on a day a huntynge in the wodes of Bisquay and chased a marueylous great Beare and the beare had slayne four of his houndes and hurt dyuers so that none durst come nere him than this sir Peter toke a swerde of Burdeanx and came in great yre for bycause of his houndes and assayles the beare and fought longe with hym and was in great parell and tooke great payne or he coulde ouercome hym Finally he slewe the beare and than retourned to his lodgyng to the castell of LaÌ„guedon in Bisquay made the beare to be brought with him Euery man had marueyle of the greatnesse of the beest and of the hardnesse of the knight howe he durst assayle the beare And whanÌ„e the countesse of Bisquayes wyfe sawe the beare she fell in a sowne and had great dolour and so she was borne in to her chambre and so all that day the night after and the nexte day she was sore disconforted and wolde nat shewe what she ayled On the thirde dayeshe sayd to her husbande Sir I shall nat be hoole tyll I haue been a pylgrimage at saynt Iames. Sir I praye you gyue me leaue to go thyder and to haue with me my sonne and Adrian my doughter her husbande agreed therto She toke all her golde towels and treasure with her for she thought neuer to retourne agayne wher of her husbande toke no hede So the lady dyde her pylgrimage and made an errande to go and se the kynge of Castell her cosyn and the quene They made her good chere and ther she is yet and wyll nat retourne agayne nor sende her chyldren And so thus the next night that this sir Peter had thus chased the beare and slayne hym while he slept in his bedde this faÌ„tasy toke hym And it was said that the countesse his wyfe knewe well as sone as she sawe the beare that it was the same that her father dyde ones chase And in his chasyng he herde a voyce and sawe nothynge that sayd to him Thou chasest me and I wolde the no hurte therfore thou shalt dye any yuell dethe Of this the lady had remembraunce whan she sawe the beare by that she had herde her father saye
horses and so rode to Sanetere and theâ— lodged that night And the nexte day they departed and entred in to the lande of Baseles toke the waye to Panpylone and they passed surely for they payed truely for all that they tooke And in the same season whyle the kyng laye in Lixbone had layen there the space of a yere Than they of the towne of saynt yrayne rebelled agaynst the kyng of Castell and closed their gates sayde that nother French nor spaynisshe shulde entre in to their towne bycause of the domage that they had done to them and oppressyons And some sayd it was in the faute of Geffray Rycous company and sir Parteney who had a coÌ„pany of bretons who toke euer that they might gette for they set nothyng by peace Than the cytezins toke the two castelles sayd how they wolde kepe them and their towne agaynst all ê‘sons that wolde do theÌ„ any hurte and the same day that they rebelled they slewe mo than threscore bretons and had nere slayne sir Geffray Partenay but that he saued hym selfe vnder the walles of the towne that were nere his lodgynge Than the frenchmen bretons that were there fiersly assauted them of saynt yrayne but they lost more than they wonne and so dyd nothynge These tidynges came in to the hoost to the kyng of Castell howe that they of saynt yrayn were tourued portyngalois howe they were in mynde to delyuer the towne and castelles to the kyng of Portyngale Of whiche newes the kynge was nat content and called to hym his marshall sir Raynolde Lymosin and said take a hundred or two hundred speares go to saiÌ„t yrayne and knowe why the men of the towne do rebell and what occasion they haue to do as they haue done So the marshall rode forthe with hym a two hundred speares and came to saynt yrayne he sent before hym an haraulde to shewe them of his comyng howe he wolde speke with them at the barryers and so he dyde his message and it was answered hym by theÌ„ of the towne sayeng Sir haralde we knowe right well Sir Raynolde Lymosin is a gentylman and a valyant knight and is marshall with the kyng he may rightwell come hyder if it please hym vnarmed in to the towne or els nat This was all the message that the haralde brought to his mayster ThanÌ„e sir Raynolde sayd I am nat come hyder to do theÌ„ any domage but to knowe their ententes It is all one to me to entre armed or vnarmed to knowe their wylles And so he and sixe with hym rode thyder vnarmed and lefte all his coÌ„pany behynde hym and so he a lyghted before the barryers whan they within sawe him in that estate they opyned the gate receyued him in to the towne and made hym good chere and than he assembled the people in the market place and sayde Sirs all ye that dwell in this towne take hede what I saye I am sente hyder by the kynge of Castell to demaunde of you for what enteÌ„cion ye do rebell close your gates and haue slayne of them that be come hyder to serue the kynge Knowe for trouthe the kyng is sore displeased with you and also he is enfourmed howe that ye haue taken in possessyon the two castelles of this towne whiche parteyneth to his enherytaunce and howe that ye wyll delyuer them to his aduersary the kyng of Portyngale Than they aunswered and sayd Sir Raynolde sauynge the kynges grace we are nat so disposed nor to rendre them to any mannes handes but to our kynge The kynge of Castell of whome we holde them so that he gouerne vs in peace iustice and that we do or haue done was in the faut of these robbers and pyllers the bretons who were lodged in this towne for yf we had been sarazyns or worse people we coulde nat haue ben worse dalte withall than we were as in rauysshinge of our wyues and doughters breakynge vp our coffers and breakynge out of the heedes of our vesselles of wyne beatynge and meamynge of vs whan we speke any worde to them Therfore it can nat be marueyled whan we sawe these outrages done to vs and to ours by theÌ„ that shulde defende vs though we were displeased Men wyll be displeased for lesse cause Sir ye maye shewe all this if it please you for we be of one accorde that whosoeuer come we wyll receyue in to our towne nother frenche nor breton nor none but the kynges owne persone with suche as shall please hym so that we be nat traueyled nor putte to vyolence WhanÌ„e sir Raynolde herde them saye so he was a peased for it semed to hym that they dyd no wronge to putte out of their towne their enemyes than he sayde O ye good people I haue well herde you and well vnderstande you ye shall abyde in peace and I wyll retourne to the kynge and shewe hym all that ye haue sayd and in good faythe I shall do for you as moche as in me is possyble to do Sir we thanke you quod they and we trust in you that if the kyng haue any yuell informacyon of vs that ye wyll be oure good meane And than sir Raynolde tooke his leaue and departed and retourned to his company who abode for hym in the feldes And so he rode tyll he came to the hoost before Lixbone and lyghted at his lodgynge and went to the kynge and shewed hym all that he hadde harde and founde with theÌ„ of yrayne Whan the kyng knewe the trouthe he sayd By my faythe they haue done wisely for no man can be sure of thes robbets And whan sir Geffray Richone and sir Geffray Partenay their companyes sawe howe they coulde haue none other remedy of them of saynt yrayne and that the kynge of Castell dissymuled with them They were sore displeased and sayd among them selfe We haue well lefte the realme of Fraunce to come hyder to serue the kyng of spayne thus to be shamed domaged by a sorte of villayns and we can haue no right We trust shortly hyder wyll come a sorte of knightes of Gascone we wyll suffre tyll they come And than we wyll all agree togyder and reueng our companyons that they haue slayne and yuell entreated Tidynges came in to the hoost to the kyng and to his counsayle that the bretons sore manasshed them of saynt yrayne and maketh their auaunte that the Gascoyns one 's coÌ„e howe they shulde derely paye for that is done Wherfore the kyng was counsayled to departe fro the siege and to go refresshe hym a season at saynt yrayns and to sette the mater in a good waye and so theâ— to tary the comyng of the gascoyns of whome there were a foure hundred speares of good men of warre Wherof they kynge was ioyfull and wolde nat that they shulde fynde the couÌ„tre in trouble at their comynge And also moche of his people desyred to refresshe theym for there
resydue of my people for I wyl put all Hungery vnder my subiectyon after the royalme of Almayne the enchauntours of my countrey of Egypte saye it is my desteny to be lorde and kynge of all the worlde the place that I wolde moost gladlyest se is Rome for auntyently it was of our enherytauÌ„ce for our predecessours coÌ„quered gouerned it dyuers tymes there I wyll be crowned Galafre of Landas the racon of Tartarye the Sowdan of Babylone shal crowne me then they who were before hym on theyr knees answered sayd syr we shall accomplysshe your desyre coÌ„maundement so they departed with a .lx. M. Turkes amonge whom there were .xx. M. of the moost experte men of warre and best armed of all Turkye they ledde the vowarde So longe they iourneyed that they came in amonge the mountaynes of Lazaryn they founde no let in the entrynge in to yâ— countrey so the vowarde entred in the duke of Mecque the duke of Daniuet ledde them so this vowarde passed the Erle of Lazaryus enbusshement when the erle the Hungeryons sawe theyr tyme they set theyr worke meÌ„ a worke to cut downe trees to stoppe so the wayes that there coulde no mo entre nor they that were comen in to recule they were so closed in that it was not possyble for ony maÌ„ to go ony further so there was thus enclosed a .xxx. M. turkes who we refyersly assayled by the Hungaryons and so handeled on bothe sydes of the way that they were there all slayne not one that skaped the .ii. dukes also slayne some thought to haue saued themselfe in the woodes but they were so chased that they were all slayne then they of the areregarde tourned backe wheÌ„ they saw they coulde not entre for the trees that stopped the way so they retourned to Lamorabaqum shewed hym the grete myschef that was falleÌ„ on his people wherof he was meruayllous sory and dyspleased theÌ„ he called his couÌ„sayle to know what was best for hym to do for he had lost the floure of all his chyualry and so retourned dyd no more at that tyme. WHen the kynge of Armony had shewed all this his owne estate to the frenshe kynge to the barons of FranÌ„ce to his counsayle they had of hym grete pyte and bycause he was come fro so ferre a couÌ„tre as Grece to seke counsayle ayde there bycause he was a kynge chased out of his royalme and had as then no thynge to lyue on to maynteyne his estate ¶ The frensshekynge as yonge as he was sayd we wyl that the kynge of Irmony who is come hyder to se vs in hope to haue some coÌ„forte helpe ayde of vs to kepe his estate as it aperteyneth to hym who is a kyng as wel as we be wheÌ„ we may weshal ayde hym with men of warre helpe to recouer his â—herytauÌ„ce wherto we haue good wyl for we are bounde to exalte the crysten faythe The frensshe kynges wordes were well harde and vnderstande as it was reason there were none that sayd the contrary the kynges vncles counsayle were desyrous to accomplysshe his entent so the kynge of Armony to maynteyne his estate there was assygned to hym a certayne rente reuenues out of the chambre of accomptes so was well truely payde euery moneth his assygnement was a .vi. M. frankes by the yere he had delyuered hym at the fyrst .v. M. fraÌ„kes to prouide for his lodgyng vessel other thynges necessary his lodgynge apoynted at saynt Andon besyde saynt Denyce there to kepe his house Thus the kynge of Armony was reteyned by the Frensshe kyng at his fyrst comynge dayly he encreased not apayred was somtyme with the frensshe kynge and specyally at hyghe feestes ¶ Howe pope Vrban pope ClemeÌ„t were at grete dyscorde togyder and howe the crysten kynges were in varyaunce for theyr lectyons and of the warres bytwene them Ca. xlii THe same season there came to Auâ—gnyon to se the pope Clement syr Othes of Bresnyl to haue money for the warre he had made for hym agaynst the Romayns Bertram of Aâ—gles who wrote hymselfe pope Vrban the vi as it is coÌ„teyned in his hystory here before there syr Othes shewed dyuers thynges to the pope to the Cardynalles wherin he was wel byleued harde but as for money he coulde gete none for the popes chambre was so clene voyded fro golde syluer that the Cardynals coulde not haue the money that perteyned to theyr hattes So this syr Othes of Bresnyll departed fro theÌ„ not wel content At Auygâ—yon there was delyuered hym a M. frankes he set lytell therby wherby pope Clementes warre was sore weked for syr Othes wolde in no wyse medle ony more in the popes warres TheÌ„ Margaret of Duras who was at Gaiecte was aduersary agaynst the quene of Naples wyfe soÌ„tyme to kynge Lewes duke of Aniow She sente for this syr Othes to ayde her in yâ— warre that she made agaynst the Napolytanes and this syr Othes a certayne space exscused hymselfe and dyssymuled and foded forth the tyme as he that wyst not what to do then some of his counsayle dyde put hym in mynde to go to this Margaret of Duras who was enherytoure to Naples to Cycyle to helpe to ayde to defende her heritage to take her to his wyfe for she was contente to mary hym bycause he was of a noble blood of hyghe extraccyon was lorde kynge of the countrey called Daure and some other of his couÌ„sayle counsayled hym contrary saynge how he myght therby come to an euyll ende for the chyldreÌ„ of kynge Lewes of naples who was crowned kynge in the Cyte of Bare thoughe they were but yonge yet they had grete frendes kynsmen specyally the frenlshe kynge theyr cosyne germayne who wyl ayde them theyr moder Iohan duches of Amowe of Mayneal these doubtes some of his counsayle shewed hym wherfore syr Othes forbare a longe season dyssymuled the mater and toke none of bothe partyes The same season the sowdyours of pope Clement enclosed in the Cyte of Peras pope Vrban was besyeged by the lorde of Moctroy a valiaunt knyght of the countye of Genes of Sauoy syr Talebart a knyght of the Rodes and syr Bernarde de la sale And there pope Vrban was sore constrayned on that poynte to haue ben taken for as I was then enformed for the some of .xx. M. frankes a capytayne almayne who had a grete company with hym called the erle Courant wolde haue delyuered pope Vrban in to the handes of pope Clement whervpon syr Bernarde de la sale was sent to Auygnyon to pope Clement for the sayd some of money but the pope nor the Cardynalles there coulde not make the money for the popes courte was so poore that they had no money and
Iohn̄ of Castell at that batayle of Iuberoth nere to the abbaye called the Cabbase where as so many noble knyghtes squyers of Fraunce Gascoyne and Byerne were slayne and that the kynge of Portyngale for that fayre vyctoryous iourney was gretely doubted and honoured of the Portyngales was receyued after his vyctory in to Lyxbone with grete glory of al the people there with grete tryumphe was crowned with lawrell as auncyently kynges were wonte to be crowned after they had dyscomfyted ony kyng in batayle and there in Lyxbone was grete feest or the departure of suche knyghtes and squyers as were there and the counsayles of the good townes and cytees of that royalme Then there was a parlyament and a counsayle holden howe they might perceyuer in theyr opinyon on honourably for certayne of the sages of the royalme sayd howe it was necessary for them to se how they myght fortefye themselfe agaynst the kyng of Castel his puyssaunce so that they myght honourably abyde in theyr victory multiply exalte in this parlyament at Lyxbone holdē in the cathedrall chyrche of saynt Dominicke There were many deuyses recyted whiche nede not to be rehersed but the rest and conclusyon of this parlyament was that they sholde sende in to Englonde to the duke of Lancastre who claymed of ryght the enherytaūce of Castell by reason of that lady Constaunce his wyfe eldest doughter to kynge Don Peter of Castell and to wryte to hym that if euer he wolde clayme ony ryght in the royalme of Castell to set forwarde his busynes whiche longe hath hanged in balaunce and in aduenture to be lost that wolde come in to Portyngale with a company of men of armes and archers for as then it was tyme conuenyent for hym so to do Then the erle of Nauarre constable of Portyngale in fayre language sayd Syth we be agreed to sende in to Englonde to the duke of Lancastre by whome we thynke to be ayded whiche is the moost profytablest waye for vs to cause our enemyes to feare vs therfore let vs aduyse in our royalme sage personages notable to do this message to enfourme so the duke of Lancastre and his counsayle to come in to this countrey so stronge as to resyst our enemyes with suche ayde as he shall haue of vs for we may well suppose that the kynge of Castell wyll gete grete ayde of the Frensshe kynge The Frensshe men of warre wote not where better to enploy theyr season for they haue peas with Englonde vnto the feest of saynt Iohn̄ And also the Frensshe men haue ferme peas with that Flemynges who hath occupyed them before dyuers yeres The erle of Nauerres wordes were well accepted and euery mā sayd howe he spake well to the poynte and that so they wolde do Then there were named by sad dely beracyon of counsayle that the grete mayster of saynt Iaques in Portyngale and Laurence Fongasse a ryght sage and dyscrete squyer who coulde ryght well speke the language of Fraunce howe they sholde goo on this message in to Englonde for they coulde sende none of the counsayle of Portyngale that better coulde doo that message then they Then there were letters wryten in good Frensshe in Latyn to the kynge of Englonde to that duke of Lancastre to his bretherne the erle of Cambrydge and Bokyngham And when these letters were wryten and grosed vp in Frensshe in Latyn then they were redde before that kyng his counsayle there well lyked so sealed delyuered to the grete mayster of saynt Iaques to Laurence Fongase who toke on thē the charge to bere them in to Englonde so they myght passe the daungere of the see encoūteryng of ony enemyes robbers of the see for as wel there were robbers on the see as on the lande So they toke a shyp called the Lyn whiche wolde sayle with all maner of wyndes more surelyer then ony other shyp So on a day they toke theyr leue of the kyng of the archebysshop of Connymbres and of the grete counsayle of Portyngale and wente to the see and sayled towarde Englonde and were .iii. dayes on the see without syght of lande and on the fourthe day they sawe Cornewall THey sped so well by theyr iourneys by the ayde of god and good wynde that they costed Cornewell and that boundes of Englonde and so aryued saufely without peryll in the hauen of Hampton and there cast ancre and so yssued out of theyr shyppe and wente refresshed them in that towne there they were examyned by the baylyffe of Hampton suche other as were kepers of y◠cost of what coūtrey they were fro whens they came whyther they wolde they answered to all theyr demaundes sayd howe they were of the royalme of Portyngale and sente thyder fro theyr kynge and his counsayle then they were welcome and had good chere and when they had refresshed them there and prouyded for horses for them and for theyr seruauntes Then they rode to London by guydes for they knew not the countrey and so were lodged at the sygne of the Fawcon and sente backe agayne theyr horses and it fortuned so well for them that the kynge and his vncles were at Westmynstre wherof they were ioyfull they came to Londō in the fore noone so dyned and after dyner they toke theyr letters wente to the duke of Lancastre to the duches And when that duke the duches knewe of theyr comynge they were ryght ioyfull for they desyred to here tydynges fro Portyngale there had ben shewed thē dyuers tydynges but gretely they dyd nor byleue it bycause they had no letters therof out of y◠countrey Then the grete mayster of saynt Iaques Laurence Fongase entred in to the dukes chambre and the duches there present and because that Laurence Fongase coulde speke frensshe he spake fyrst when he had made his reuerence to the duke and to the duches delyuered them letters fro Portyngale the duke toke his the duches hers and so red theyr letters then the duke sayd to the messageres Syrs ye be ryght welcome into this coutrey and to morowe ye shall go to the kynge we shall do you the ayde we can as it is reason Then the duches drewe Laurence Fongase a parte demaūded of hym tydynges out of Castell Portyngale to euery thynge this Laurence answered Then that duke called for wyne and spyce so they dranke toke theyr leue retourned to theyr lodgynge in the mornyng they wente agayne to the duke who had herde masse and so then they entred in to a barge wente by water to Westmynstre where the kynge and the moost parte of his counsayle was The duke entred in to the counsayle chambre sayd to the kynge Syr here is the grete mayster of saynt Iaques in Portyngale who hath brought you letters fro the kynge wyl it please you
their companyes spredde abrode in to dyuerse places in the countrey and aboute the towne of saynte Phagon whiche was a good plentuous countrey There were many of the bretons poicteuyns and augenyns of rainton and men of the lowe countreys And whan they entred fyrste in to saynt Phagon they entred by syxe ten fyftene and twenty so that at laste there were mo than fyue hundred of one and other maysters and seruauntes and euer as they came they lodged them selfe and pilled and robbed their hostes and brake vp cofers cupbordes and wolde take what they foūde And whan the citezyns sawe their demeanoure to the entent that there shulde no mo entre whan these straungers were at their reste they cryed alarum in the towne and the spanyardes were redy for the same all the day before And so they entred in to the lodginges where the straungers were and as they were founde they were slayne without pytie or mercye and happy were they that were saued the same nyght there were slayne mo thanne fyue hundred The nexte mornyng these tydinges came to the capytayns that were comynge to the same towne warde than they drewe them togyder to take counsayle And the capitayns determyned that it was no tyme than to be reuenged for if they dyde they shulde fynde all other townes and cyties against them wherof their enemyes wold be right ioyous but they sayde that whan their voyage shulde haue an ende that in their retourning they wolde thanke them accordynge to their desertes So they passed forwarde and spake nothynge therof but they thought the more NOwe than so it happend that whan euery man returned except suche as were styll abydinge with the constable sir Olyuer of Clysson and specially those of the lowe countreys whan they came togyder they sayd eche to other Nowe lette vs paye for our welcome that we had at saynt Phagon Lette vs quyte them at our departyng To this they were all agreed and so gathered togyder to the sōme of a thousande fightynge men and they aproched saynt Phagon entred in to the towne without any mystruste that they of the cytie had to them for they trusted all thynges had ben forgoten The straungers cryed alarum in a hūdred places and cryed slee the villayns of the towne and take all that they haue for they haue well deserued it Thanne these bretons and other entred in to the howses where they thought to wyn moste and brake vp cofers and slewe the mē downe in euery place They slewe the same day mo than foure hundred and the towne robbed and spoyled and more than halfe brente whiche was great domage Thus these rutters were reuenged for the dethe of their companyons and than they departed fro saynte Phagon ¶ Howe the kyng of Castell and his counsayle were yuell contente with sir Willyam of Lignac and syr Gaultier of Passackes cōpany and howe the duke of Lancastre departed fro saynt Iaques to Bayon Cap. C.ix. TIdynges came to the king of Castyle howe these companyons had robbed and pylled the good towne of saynt Phagon slayne the cytezyns to the nobre of a four hūdred and nigh brent the towne And it was sayd that if the englysshe men had wonne it with assaute they wolde nat haue daulte so cruelly as they dyd The same tyme the two knyghtes were present with the kynge and they were greatly reproued by the kyng and his counsayle They excused them and sayd as god might be their helpes they knewe nothynge therof but they sayd they had herde howe they were nat contente with them of that towne bycause whan they entred firste in to the realme and came to saynte Phagon there were certayne of their company slayne which grudge by lyklyhode they haue borne euer sythe in their hertes It behoued the kyng of Castyle to let this mater passe for it wolde haue coste hym ouer moche to haue hadde it amended But he bare nat so good wyll to the capytayns after as he dyd before and that was well sene for whan they departed and toke leaue of the kyng to retourne in to Fraūce if he had ben pleased with them it ought to be supposed they shulde haue been better payed of their wages than they were For the duke of Burbone that came laste and was firste that departed he and his company had all the chere and well rewarded Thus these people issued out of Castyle by dyuerse wayes some by Bisquay some by Aragon Suche as were noble and honeste knyghtes and squyers and lyued well and kepte good rule they departed pore and yuell horsed and suche as were hardy and aduentured to robbe and pylle they were well horsed and well furnisshed with gold and syluer and their males full of baggage Thus it falleth in suche aduentures some wyn and some lese The kyng of Castyle was ioyfull whan he sawe he was clene delyuered of suche people NOwe let vs somwhat speke of the duke of Lancastre who laye sicke in his bed in the towne of saynt Iames and the duches his wyfe with hym and his doughter Katheryn It is to be thought that the duke day and nyght was nat without anoyaūce for he sawe his busynes in a harde parte and many of his good knyghtes deed suche as he with moche payne had brought with him out of Englāde Nor there was none that wolde treate for any composicyon to be had bytwene hym and the kynge of Castyle nor that he wolde take the duches his wyfe for enheritour of Castell nor gyue her any parte there of But he herde his men saye that they were enfourmed by pylgrymes that came to saynt Iaques oute of Flaunders Brabant Heynaulte and other countreis as they came throughe the realme of Spaygne They herde the men of warre saye to them Sirs ye shall go to saynt Iaques and there ye shall fynde the duke of Lācastre who kepeth his chambre for feare of the lyght of the sonne Recōmaunde vs to hym and demaunde of hym in oure behalfe if we haue made hym fayre warre or that he be cōtent with vs or nat The Englisshmen were wont to say that we coude better daūce than make warre But nowe is the tyme come that they rest and synge and we kepe the feldes and our fronters in suche wyse that we lese nothing nor take any domage Suche tales were tolde to the duke he toke all in worthe for he had none other remedy And as soone as he myght ryde he departed and the duches and his doughter fro saynt Iaques For the kyng of Portugale had sente for hym by the erle of Noware his constable with a fyue hūdred speares and with hym sir Iohn̄ Ferant the Ponase of Congue Ageas Coylle Venase Martyn de Malo Galope Ferrant sir Aulde Perre I can Nedighes de Fay Gannes de Falues all barons Thus they departed fro Compostella so rode tyll they came to the cytie of Porte There the kynge the quene of Portugale made them
and so wente throughe the stretes to the kynges lodgynge called saynt Polle on the ryuer of Sayne with the quene there were mo than a thousande horses And the kyng went fro the palays to the ryuer of Sayne toke there a barge wente by water to his house of saynt Polle And for all that the house was great and large well amended yet the kyng had caused in the great court nere to the gate fro the Ryuer to be made a great halle whiche was couered ouer with clothes of the armes of Normandy And the walles were haÌ„ged with clothes of arras of sondrie hystories In this hall the kynge gaue the ladyes a supper but the quene kepte her chaÌ„bre she was no more sene that nyght The other ladies and the kyng and the lordes daunsed and reuelled all that nyght nerchande tyll it was daye in the mornyng Than euery person departed and went to their lodgynges to slepe for it was good tyme. Nowe I shall shewe you what gyftes and preseÌ„tes they of Parys gaue on the Tuesday before noon to the quene and to the duchesse of Thourayne who was but newly come in to Fraunce oute of Lombardy for she was doughter to the duke of Myllayne and she had the same yere wedded Loyes duke of Thourayne She was named Valentyne she had neuer before ben at Parys therfore the burgesses of Parys gaue her her welcome ON this Tuesday aboute .xii. of the clocke about a .xl. burgesses of Parys of the most notablest persons of the cytie all in one sute of clothynge came to the kynges house of saynt Polle brought a present for the quene through the stretes of Parys The present was in a lytter richely wrought and borne bytwene two strong meÌ„ properly apparelled lyke two auncient sage persones The lytter had a celler of a thynne fyue clothe of sylke so that the iewelles that were in the litter might well be sene through Whan they came to saint Polle first they caÌ„e in to the kynges chambre whiche was redy apparelled to receyue them for alwayes suche as bringeth any thyng are welcome thaÌ„ these burgesses sette downe the lytter on two trestels in the myddes of the chambre Than they kneled downe before the kyng and said Right dere lorde and noble kyng your burgesses of Parys presenteth your grace these iewelles here in this lytter in the welcomyÌ„g of your grace into the gouernauÌ„ce of your realme of Fraunce Than the kyng sayd good men I thaÌ„ke you they are right goodly and riche than the burgesses rose drewe backe therwith toke their leaue Whan they were gone the kynge sayd to sir Wyllyam of Lordes and to Montague who were by hym Sirs let vs go nere to this lytter se these presentes more nerer Than the kynge well regarded them Fyrst there were foure pottes of golde sixe lauers of golde sixe plattes of golde All this vessell wayed a huÌ„dred and fyftie marke of golde In lyke maner a nother sorte of burgesses richely apparelled all in one lyuerey came to the quene and presented her another lytter whiche was borne in to her chambre shewynge howe the good men of Parys dyde recoÌ„mende them to her grace and sent her that present Whiche present was a shippe of golde two great flagoÌ„s of golde two dredge boxes of golde two saltes of golde sixe pottes golde sixe lauers of golde .xii. Lampes of syluer two basons of syluer The soÌ„me was thre hundred marke what golde what syluer This present was brought in a lytter bytwene two men one in semblaunce of a Beare and the other in semblaunce of an Vnycorne The thirde present in lykewise was brought in to the duches of Thourayns chambre by two men fygured in the fourme of two blacke Moores richely apparelled with white towelles about their heedes lyke sarazins The lytter was fayre and riche couered with a fyne clothe of sylke and brought by .xii. burgesses all in one apparell who gaue this present to the sayd duchesse In the whiche presente there was a shippe of golde a great potte of golde two ewers golde two great plattes golde two saltes golde sixe pottes syluer two dosin saucers sylner two dosyn boules syluer SoÌ„me golde and syluer two huÌ„dred markes This present greatly reioysed the duches of Thourayne as it was reason for it was goodly riche and curtesly she thanked them of their gyfte Thus this Tuesdaye these presentes were gyuen to the kyng the quene and to the duchesse of Thourayne It was greatly to be consydred the valeur of these presentes also the puyssaunce of the parisyens For it was shewed me by one who sawe all these pÌ„sentes that they cost the parisiens more than threscore thousande crownes of golde After these presentes this delyuered it was tyme to go to dyner But that daye the kynge and the quene other ladyes dyned in their chambres the soner to haue done For at thre of the clocke at after dyner they shulde drawe in to the felde of saynt Katheryne where as there was ordayned stages and scaffoldes a great nombre for the kynge and the quene and other to beholde the iustes ¶ Nowe shall I name by order the knyghtes that were called the kynges knyghtes of the sonne of golde there were thyrtie of theÌ„ FIrste the duke of Berrey the duke of Burgoyne the duke of Burbone the erle de la Marche sir Iaquemarte of Burbone his brother the lorde Guillyam of Namure sir Olyuer of Clysson constable of FrauÌ„ce syr Iohan of Vien sir Iames of Vien lorde of Espaigny syr Guy of Tremoyle sir Gillyam his brother sir Phylyp of Bare the lorde of Rocheforde bretone the lorde of Raies the lorde Beamond syr Iohan of Barbencon the hazle of FrauÌ„ce the lorde of Tourty norman syr Iohan of Barres the lorde of Nantoyllet the lorde of Rochfoucaâ—t the lord of Garanciers sir Iohan of Harpedante the barone Dinury syr Willyam Marcyell syr Raynolde of Roye syr Geffrey of Caryn syr Charles of Changeet and sir Gylliam of Lignac All these knyghtes were armed and sheldes lyke there in the sonne raye and aboute thre of the clocke they were in the place of saint Kateryne and thyder was come ladyes and damosels And firste the quene came thyder in a chare rychely aparelled and all other ladyes in good ordre and entred into the scaffoldes that were ordeyned for them Than came the frenche kyng redy apparelled to iuste whiche pastyme he loued ryght well he was well accompanyed Than the iustes beganne there were many lordes of dyuers countreys Syr Gyllyam of Heynalt erle of Ostrenant iusted ryght goodly and so dyd suche knyghtes as came with hym as the lorde of Gomminies sir Iohan of Andregenes the lorde of Cautan syr Ausell of Transegynes and sir Clinquart of Hermo all dyde well their deuoyre to the prays of the ladyes Also there iusted well the duke of Irelande who was all that seasone with the frenche kynge Also there iusted well a knyght of
was sente for agayne WHan these tydynges were spredde abrode in the countrey that Betysach was in prison and that inquyre was made of his dedes and that it was publysshed that who so euer had any matter to hym shulde come forthe therby moche people came to Besyers and put vp supplycacions to the kynge of the cruell dedes of Betysach Some complayned of hym that he hadde dysheryted them without cause or reason And other complayned of hym that he hadde by force taken their wyues and doughters Whan the kynges counsayle sawe so many gret causes laide to Betysache they were wery therof And besyde all these complayntes he was sore behated with the people And all this came to hym by reason to fyll the duke of Berreys purse he dyd euer what he wolde haue hym to do The kynges counsayle wyste nat what to do for than there was come thyder two knightes fro the duke of Berrey the lorde of Nantonelet and syr Peter Mespyn who had brought letters to the kynge fro the duke and they in the dukes behalfe auowed all that euer Betysach had doone before and the duke requyred the kynge and his counsayle to haue agayne his man and treasourer The kynge had greate hatred to Betysach bycause of the yuell name and fame that ranne vpon hym The kynge and the duke of Thourayne his brother inclyned greatly to haue had hym hanged sayenge howe he hadde well deserued it But the kynges counsayle durste nat iudge hym for dought of the duke of Berrey They sayde to the kynge syr if the duke of Berrey auowe all his dedes what so euer they be we canne nat se by no waye of reason that he hath deserued dethe for the seasone that he medled in these countreys by cessynge of tayles subsydyes and aydes and receyuynge of them he dyd it at the instauÌ„ce of the duke of Berrey who had at that tyme there puyssaunce royall as well as ye haue nowe but syr acordynge to the desertes of his dedes ye maye sease in to your handes all his mouables and herytages and leaue hym in the same case as the duke of Berrey founde hym fyrste and with his goodes make restytucion to suche poore men as be vn done by hym What shulde I make longe processe Betysache was at the poynte of his delyueraunce with the losse of his goodes tyll at the laste other tydynges came in place I shall shewe you what I Knewe nat nor I coulde nat knowe but by knowledgyng of him selfe if he were in dede so yuell as he iudged himselfe he sayd he was an herytyke and had done many horryble dedes As it was shewed me there came some to hym on a nyght beynge in prisone to put hym in feare whether they were his frendes or fooes I knowe nat they sayde Betysach thou art in a harde case the french kyng his brother and the duke of Burbone dothe hate you mortally there be so many complayntes put vp agaynste you fro dyuers place of suche oppressyons as ye haue doone whan ye had rule in Languedoc so that they all iudge you to be hanged for ye canne nat scape with the losse of your goodes the whiche hath been offred to the kynge But the kynge who hateth you mortally hath aunswered howe that all your goodes are his and your body also the whiche he sayeth he wyll nat kepe longe I shew you this for good wyll for to morowe it is thought ye shall be delyuered to be iudged to dye Those wordes greatly afrayed Betysach and sayd to them Ah saynt Mary is there no remedy yes quod they to morowe say how ye wolde speke with the kinges counsayle than outher they wyll come to you or sende for you to them and whan ye be in their presence than say thus My lordes I knowledge my selfe I haue greatly displeased god and for the displeasure he hath to me this false slaunder is reysed on me Than they wyll demaunde of you wherin Than ye shall aunswere howe ye haue a longe season arred in your faythe and that ye be an herytyke and kepe styll that opinyon Whan the bysshop of Besyers shall here that he wyll than chalenge to haue you in his kepynge than ye shall be delyuered to hym for suche causes ought to be declared by the lawe of the churche thanne ye shall be sente to Auignon there wyll be none against the duke of Berrey the pope wyll nat displease hym and by this meanes ye may be delyuered and nother lese body nor goodes But if ye byde styll in the case that ye be in ye shall nat skape paste to morowe but that ye shall be hanged for the kynge hateth you bycause of the slaunder of the people Betysache who trusted on that false infourmacyon for he that is in parell of dethe knoweth nat well what to do wherfore he aunswered and sayd ye be my frende and couÌ„sayle me truely wher of god thanke you and I trust the tyme shall come that I shall thanke you The next mornynge he called the gayler and sayde Frende I requyre you cause suche menne and suche to come to speke with me and named suche as were the enquysitours ouer him The gayler shewed theym howe Betysache wolde speke with them They came to hym and demaunded what he wolde He aunswered and sayd Sirs I haue serched my coÌ„science I knowledge my selfe I haue hyghly displeased god for longe tyme I haue arred agaynst the fayth I neuer beleued of the Trinyte nor that the sonne of god wolde come so lowe as to come fro Heuen to come in to this worlde to take humayn kynde of a woman for I beleue and saye that whan we dye there is nothynge of the sowle Ah sainte Mary quod they Betysach ye are greatly against holy churche your wordes demaundeth for a fyre aduyse you better I canne nat tell quod Betysache whether my wordes demauÌ„deth fyre or water but I haue holden this opinyon sythe I haue had knowledge and shall holde it tyll I dye The enquysitours wolde here no more of hym at that tyme and were gladde to fynde suche a mater against hym therby to put him to deth Than they coÌ„maunded the gailer to kepe him straytely and to suffre no man to speke with hym to the entente that he shulde nat be tourned fro that opynyon Thanne they wente to the kynges counsayle and shewed them all the mater than they wente to the kynge and shewed hym all the maner of Betysache as ye haue herde wherof the kynge had great marueyle sayd We wyll that he be put to dethe it is an yuell man he is a false herytyke and a thefe we wyll he be brynte and hanged than he shall haue as he hath deserued he shall nat be eâ—cused for all myne vncle of Berrey Anon these tydynges were spredde abrode in the cytie of Besyers howe Betysache hadde of his owne voluntary wyll without any constraynt confessed howe he was an herytyke and had vsed longe the synne
Henry in Fraunce wherby they were soner aquaynted so they taryed at Douer tyll their horses were vnshypped and than they rode to Caunterbury And where so euer they bayted or lay their hostes were payed At laste they came to Eltham and there they founde kyng Henry and parte of his counsayle The kinge made them good chere for the loue of the frenche kynge Than they shewed the kyng the cause of their cōmynge The kynge aunswered and sayde Sirs ye shal go to London and there I wyll be within this foure dayes and assemble my counsayle and than ye shall haue aunswere of your demaunde That daye they dyned with the kynge and after dyner they rode to London and the sayde knyght of the kynges styll with them who sawe them well lodged The kinge acordyng to his promyse came to Westmynster these frenche knyghtes had knowlege of the kynges cōmynge thyder and made them redy to go whan they shulde be sent for The kynge had his counsayle with hym and than it was deuysed what answere they shuld haue than they were sent for and than it was shewed them that where as they desyred to se the quene their desyre shulde nat be denyed so that they wolde swere and promesse that nouther they nor none of their menne shulde speke any worde of that was fallen vpon king Rycharde for it was said to them that if they dyd they shulde rynne in great dyspleasure of the people and be in great parell of their lyues The two knightes sayd they wolde in no wyse breake the ordre that they had sette but obey their cōmaundement They sayd whan they had ones sene and spoken with her than they wolde retourne and departe Anon after the erle of Northum berlande brought theym to Haueringe of the bowre to the yonge quene who was there as than and with her the duches of Irelande doughter to the lorde Coucy and the duchesse of Gloucestre with her doughters and other ladyes and damoselles The quene receyued them swetely and demaūded of them howe the frenche kinge her father dyd and the quene her mother They sayde well and so cōmuned with her a gret season They kepte well their promesse for they spake no worde of kynge Rycharde Than they tooke leaue of the quene and retourned to London Than shortely after they wente to Eltham to the kynge and there dyned and the kyng gaue them fayre presentes and iowelles and ryght amyably they toke their leaue of the kynge who sayd to them Syrs ye may say whan ye come in to Fraunce that the quene of Englande shall haue no hurte nor trouble but shall alwaies kepe her estate as to her belongeth and shall enioy all her right for as yet she shall nat knowe the mutacyons of the worlde Of these wordes spoken of the kynges mouth the two knyghtes were well content and so departed and lay at Dertforde and the next day at Osprynge and so to Caunterbury and than to Douer And all their costes and charges commynge goynge the kynges offycers payed Than they tooke the see and aryued at Boloyne and so to Parys and there founde the kyng and the quene and shewed them all that they had sene and herde ¶ Nowe let vs somwhat speake of Englande ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe certayne lordes in Englande rose vp with an army to haue delyuered kyng Rycharde and to haue dystroyed kynge Henry and howe they were slayne Cap. CC xivii DIuers questyons and argumētes were made in Englande amonge noble men and counsayls of the good townes that Richarde of Burdeaux was deed slayne wherfore men spake no more of hym for well he had deserued it To these poyntes kyng Henry answered and sayd Nay quod he I haue pytie of his dethe I wyll neuer consent therto To kepe hym in prisone is suffycient I haue warrāted his lyfe and I wyll kepe my promyse suche as wolde haue had hym deed sayd Sir we se well ye haue Pytie on hym but ye do for your selfe a perylous thyng For as long as he is a lyue though he haue willyngly resigned to you the crowne of Englande and that euery man hath receyued you as kyng and haue made to you faythe and homage yet it can nat be but that there be in the Realme some that loued hym as yet do who wolde lightly ryse agaīst you if they might se any lykelyhode of his delyueraunce Also the Frenche kynge is sore displeased for his trouble he wolde soone be reuenged yf he myght and he is of great puyssaunce with suche ayde as he maye fynde in Englande The kynge aunswered and sayde As longe as I se nat the contrary or that the Frenche kyng wyll take no parte agaynst me I wyll kepe my promyse This aunswere that the kynge made had nerehande haue ben to his owne distructyon The erle of Huntyngton sir Iohan of Hollande brother to kyng Richarde who hadde to wyfe kynge Henryes suster coulde nat forgette the aduenture of his brother No more coude the erle of Salisbury and they had at Oxenforde secrete counsayle toguyder And they deuysed how they might delyuer kynge Richarde oute of the towre and distroye kyng Henry bring a trouble agayne in to the realme They deuysed to make a iustes of twentie knyghtes and twentie squyers to beholden at Oxenforde and howe they wolde desyre the kyng to be there priuely And whyle he shulde be syttynge at the table to slee hym For they had deuysed to haue hadde men ynowe to haue perfourmed their ententes and they had redy a preest called Maladyn who was a syngar in kynge Rychardes chapell to haue putte hym in the Kynges appareyle for he was lyke kynge Rycharde in fauoure And than they wolde haue made the people to haue beleued that kynge Richarde hadde been delyuered and returned in to his fyrst state and than̄e to haue sente worde of their dede to the Frenche kynge that he shulde incontynent haue sente in to Englande some socoure to them by the erle of saynt Poule or by some other As they had deuysed so they dyde begynne They caused a feest at Oxenforde to be proclaymed of twentie knyghtes and twentie squyers well accōpanyed with ladyes and damoselles They hadde also on their partie the yonge erle of Kente nephue to sir Iohan Hollande also another great lorde the lorde Spensar And they beleued to haue hadde on their partie the erle Iohan of Rutlande bycause kynge Henry had put hym out of the offyce of the Cōstable shyppe of Englande but he fayled theym for some sayde by hym they were bewrayed This feest prouyded for thau the erle of Huntyngton came to Wyndsore where the kyng was and humbly made his reuerence as he that thought to haue disceyued the kynge with swete wordes and to haue gote hym to haue come to this feest the whiche to do he desyred the kyng effectuously and the kyng who thought none yuell graunted hym so to do wherof the erle was ryght ioyouse and departed