freer Iohn̄ the Cardynalles that were in his presence Syrs thus shall it fall on you of the chyrche for the Emperour of Rome and of Almayne and the other kynges crystened hyghe prynces of the worlde haue gyuen you the goodes possessyons ryches to the entente to serue god and ye spende it in pryde and superfluyte ¶ ye rede not the lyfe of saynt Syluester pope of Rome after saynt Peter ymagyne and consyder howe the Emperour Cōstantyne gaue hym fyrst the dysmes of the chyrche and on what condycyon Saynt Syluester rode nother with CC. nor CCC horse abrode in the worlde but he helde hymselfe symply closed in Rome and lyued soberly with them of the chyrche when the aungell of god shewed hym how the Emperour Coustātyne who was as then but an infydell sholde fende for hym in lykewyse the Emperour had it by reuelacyon of an aungell that Syluester sholde shewe hym the way of helthe for he was syke of the lypper so that his fless he fell in peces whē Syluester came before hym he shewed hym the way of baptyme so crystened hym and incontynent he was hole for the whiche the Emperoure Constantyne byleued in god and all his Empyre and gaue to Syluester to the chyrche all the dysmes for before the Emperoure of Rome helde them and besyde that gaue hym many fayre gyftes grete sygnyoryes augmentynge out fayth and the chyrche but it was his entencyon that the goodes and syguyoryes that he had gyuē hym that he sholde gouerne it humbly and truely and not to spēde it in pompe and pryde but nowe a dayes they of the chyrche do the contrary wherwith god is dyspleased and hereafter wyll be more dyspleased so that the grete lordes of the erthe wyll ware colde in theyr deuocyons and not be so lyberall in gyuynge ony thynge to the chirche But rather to be redy to take fro it that was gyuen before and I thynke it wyll not be longe or this besene ¶ Thus this freer Iohn̄ of Roche tayllayd whome the cardynalles helde in pryson in Auignyon shewed to them these wordes and dyuers other wherof the cardynalles were abasshed and wolde gladly haue put hym to dethe yf they myght haue founde ony iust cause agaynst hym But they coulde fynde none so suffred hym to lyue but they durst not let hym out of pryson for he shewed his matters so parfyte and layde for hym hyghe scryptures that peraduenture he myght haue made many in the worlde to haue arred Howbeit suche as toke more hede to his sayenge then I dyde sawe many thynges fall after accordynge as he sayd and wrote in pryson all that he sayd he wolde proue by the apocalyps the true prowes wherwith he armed hymselfe who saued hym fro brennynge and also some of the Cardynalles had pyte on hym and wolde not do theyr vttermoost to hym NOwe let vs leue to speke of these narracyons and retourne to our pryncypall matter hystory of Spayne of Portyngale of Fraunce and of Englonde and recorde the fortunes that fell in that season whiche be not to be forgotten ¶ ye haue herde here before howe kynge Iohn otherwyse called mayster denyce of portyngale bastarde broder to kyng Don Ferant was in possessyon of the royalme of Portyngale by the helpe all onely of .iiii. Cytees in Portyngale But as for the nobles and knyghtes of the royalme of Portyngale at the begynnynge acquyted them truely to kynge Don Peter to kynge Iohn̄ of Castell and to his wyfe the lady Beatryce yet thoughe some helde the opynyon of that lady neuerthelesse other named her a bastarde for she was doughter to a lady in Portyngale called Elynoure who had as then her fyrst husbande on lyue a knyght of that countre syr Iohn̄ Laurence of Coygne and the kynge of Portyngale had taken her fro hym and the kynge maryed her and put her husbande out of Portyngale who wente and dwelled with the kynge of Castell for he durst not dwell in Portyngale for fere of the kynge who helde his wyse yet he was of hyghe lygnage These thynges are to be meruaylled at For kynge Ferant of Portyngale reputed his doughter as lawfully begotten for he had a dyspensacyon of pope Vrban the .vi. And then the peas was made bytwene the .ii. kynges of Castell Portyngale that a knyght of the royalme of Portyngale called syr Iohn̄ Ferant Andere who was chefe of counsayle with the kynge of Portyngale treated of peas and made the mariage bytwene kynge Ferant of Portyngalles doughter and kynge Iohn̄ of Castell who was as thē a wyddower and had maryed before the doughter of Don Peter kynge of Aragon thoughe the kynge of Castell his counsayle dyd cast all these doubtes and howe they fered lest the kynge of Portingales doughter sholde not be taken as heyre of Portyngale after her faders dysseas but to put in suretye therof the kynge of Castell the kynge of Portyngale caused dyuers of the chefe lordes of Portyngale to swere that after the kynges dysseas to take her as theyr lady to tourne the royalme of Portyngale to the kynge of Castel Also the kynge of Portyngale had bounde certayne good townes to the kynge of Castel to take hym as theyr kynge on the payne of forfayture of .ii. thousande frankes thoughe this knyght Iohan Ferant Andere dyde his busynes for a good entente to make peas concorde bytwene Castell and Portyngale at the instaunce of his lorde yet the comons of Lyrbone slewe hym and chase to theyr kynge this mayster Deuyce for they sayd they wolde not be vnder the subiectyon of them of Castell they hated them so moche for they coulde neuer loue togyder also they sayd that the crowne of Portyngale myght not go to a woman and that the quene of Castell was not true herytour but a bastarde worse then a bastarde for kynge Ferantes lyuynges and after his dethe Iohan Ferant of Coygne lyued who was husbande to that ladyes moder and therfore they chase this mayster Denyce and was crowned by these .iiii. Cytees Lyrbone Vyc Eure and the porte of Portyngale they sayd they wolde haue a kynge amonge them one of the chefe incydentes that moued the comons to be agaynst the kynge of Castell was as I shall shewe you The Spanyardes whom I call Castellyans when the maryage was made bytwene them and Portyngale and that the kynge of Portyngale had graunted that after his dysseas the royalme sholde go to the kyng of Castell euer when the Spanyardes mette ony of the Portyngales they wolde mocke thē and say syrs whether ye wyll or not nowe ye shall come to our daunger we shall holde you vnder subiectyon and seruage and kepe you lyke slaues and Iues and do with you as we lyst they wolde answere saye they trusted that sholde neuer be neuer to be vnder subiectyon of ony other man lyuyng excepte god and for suche causes
to se them with a good wyll sayd the kynge Then the .ii. messagers kneled downe before the kynge Laurence Fongase delyuered his letters the kynge toke them and caused them to be redde also they delyuered letters to the erle of Cambrydge to the erle of Bokynghā eche of them redde theyr letters The kyng answered the messageres ryght swetely and sayd ¶ Syrs ye are welcome in to this countrey your comynge dothe vs grete ioy and ye shal not departe without answere suche as shall please you and all your busynes let myne vncles here haue them in remembraunce so they thanked the kynge and departed out of y◠counsayle chambre and wente downe in to the palays abydynge for the duke of Lancastre who taryed tyll it was hyghe noone Then the duke of Lancastre toke his two bretherne with hym to dyner and wente by water and these messageres with thē The erle of Cambrydge knewe ryght well the grete mayster of saynt Iames and Laurence of Fougase for he had sene them before in Portyngale wherfore after dyner he comoned with thē of dyuers thynges in the presence of his other two bretherne and demaunded them of the maryage of Castell and of her that sholde haue ben his doughter in lawe the lady Beautyce To all his demaundes the ambassadours answered wysely and truely wherby the lordes were ryght well contente and pleased TRewe it was that before these ambassadours were comen into Englonde the duke of Lancastre and the erle of Cambrydge his broder had dyuers counsayles togyder for the ryght they claymed by theyr wystes The Erle of Cambrydge as ye haue herde before was not well contente with kynge Ferant of Portyngale nor with the men of warre there for they had lodged .xv. dayes in the feldes before the Castellyans and yet kynge Ferant nor the Portyngales wolde neuer fyght with thē yet the erle the same tyme shewed the kynge his defaulte sayd syr I haue here in my company of poore Englysshe mē a C. speres a M. archers And al we are wyllyng to fyght with our enemyes and to abyde the aduenture that god wyll sende vs but kynge Ferant answered euer that he was not counsayled to fyght wherfore when the Erle saw that he departed thens and toke with hym agayne his sone out of Portyngale and when he was departed then the kynge of Portyngale accorded with kynge Iohn̄ of Castell maryed his doughter to hym to make the peas and this treatye was made by syr Iohn̄ Audre a knyght of portyngale The kynge there had all his trust in hym The kynge of Portyngale demaunded of his doughter whether she had rather haue the kynge of Castel or the erle of Cambrydge sone She answered and sayd howe she loued better Iohn̄ of Englonde then Iohn̄ of Castel The kynge demaunded why she sayd soo she answered bycause Iohn̄ of Englonde was a goodly personage and of her age that was the cause she wolde not haue the kynge of Castell howbeit her fader to haue peas with the Spanyardes made that maryage Also the erle had sayd to the duke of Lancastre his broder that kynge Ferant ones deed he doubted that the comons of the royalme of Portyngale wolde rebell agaynst the lady Beautryce for the moost parte of the royalme For al that theyr kynge had maryed her moder the lady Elyanoure of Coygne yet they helde not the kynges doughter to be borne in lawfull maryage but reputed her as a bastarde and mermured theron whyle the erle was there Wherfore he was the gladder to take away his sone thens The duke of Lancastre to whom y◠matter touched nerer then to the erle of Cambrydge bycause he had maryed the eldest syster heyre to Castell and he had a fayre chylde by the lady Constaunce his wyfe wherfore he euer desyred to be truely and iustly enfourmed of that busynes in those partyes and dyd set his mynde howe he myght exalte and further his tytle he sawe clerely that as then he coulde not haue so good an entre in to Castell as by the royalme of Portyngale specyally seynge howe he was desyred and requyred of the kyng of Portyngale and of the barons and comons of the royalme also consyderynge howe the kynge of Portyngale that was then was a noble sage prynce and valyaunt seynge howe he had dyscomfyted the kynge of Castel in playne batayle and all his puyssaunce Wherby the duke the soner enclyned to go in to Portyngale And also the kynge of Englonde and his counsayle was agreed therto but to the entente to be iustly enfourmed of all the busynes state and condycyon of the countrey of Castell and of the ryght that the lady Beautryce claymed to the crowne of Portyngale and also of the ryght of kynge Iohn̄ of Portyngale whome the comons had crowned to theyr kynge For this entente on a daye the duke made a dyner to these ambassadours of Portyngale in his owne lodging and after dyner he made euery man to departe called these ambassadours to hym ryght amorously and demaunded of them of the busynes of Portyngale and bycause that Laurence Fougase coulde speke Frensshe the duke addressed his wordes vnto hym sayd Laurence I requyre you to shew me from poynte to poynte the conducyon and maner of your londe of Portyngale what hath fallen there and in Castell syth my broder the erle of Cambrydge was there for the kynge of Portyngale hath wryten to me that there is no man in Portyngale that can enforme me more iustly then ye can do and in this ye shall do me a grete pleasure syr sayd y◠squyer I shall fulfyll your pleasure and then began to speke and sayd in this maner Syrsyth the departure of your broder the erle of Cambrydge out of Portyngale there hath fallen grete trouble and dyscencyō in the royalme and in grete aduenture to haue ben lost but thanked be god the busynesses there are as nowe in good poynte and fermely stablysshed but and god had not wrought by his grace the matter had gone euyll and all thrughe the defaulte of kynge Ferrant last dysseased This is the oppynyon of the moost parte of the royalme for kynge Ferrant in his dayes loued sore a lady wyfe to a knyght of his called syr Iohn̄ Laurence of Coygne and bycause of her beautye he wolde haue her by force The lady withstode the kynges desyre as longe as she myght but at the laste he had her and sayd Dame I shall make you quene of Portyngale for thoughe I loue you it is not for your hurte but to exalte you for I wyl mary you Then the lady on her knees wepynge sayd syr sauynge your dyspleasure I can haue none honour to be quene of Portyngale for you knowe and so doth all the worlde that I haue an husbande all redy and haue hadde this .v. yere Elyanoure sayd the kynge make none escuse for I wyll haue none other wyfe but you but I shall quyte
harde of those tydynges so that they wyst not what to do other to gyue vp theyr towne and forsake all or elles to entre in to the shyppes that laye there and so defende the hauen surely yf the Englysshmen had knowen the case they were in they had ben lordes of the towne and of the castel or yf they had byleued Peter du Boys for he sore counsayled them that they sholde incontynent haue set on the towne of Sluse they had wonne it yf they had soo done but the englysshmen had no courage therto but sayd it were a grete foly for vs to entre in to the towne of Sluse for then they of Bruges of Dan and of Ardenbourge shall come and besyege vs so peraduenture shall lese al that we haue wonne it is better for vs to kepe it and to make wyse warre then folysshly to lese all thus the englysshmen kepte styll the see but they determyned to brenne the nauye of shyppes that lay at ancre in the hauen of Sluse of suche shyppes as they hadde wonne they toke parte of theÌ„ suche as were most olde and drye and lyghtest and gresed them wel bothe within and without and set fyer on them so lete them go with the wynde and with the tyde in to the hauen to the entente that they sholde haue fastened and set fyer on other shyppes that lay there of Spayne and of other places howbeit as god wolde that fyer dyd noo hurte nor domage to none other shyp ¶ Howe the englysshmen aryued brente dyuers vyllages Ca. lxxiii AFter that the englysshmen dyscomfyted syr IohnÌ„ Bucke as he came fro Rochell wherby they had grete profyte specyally of wyne for they had a .ix. M. tonne of wyne wherby wyne was the derer all the yere after in Flaunders Holande and in Brabande and the better chepe in Englande as it was reason suche are the aduentures of this worlde if one haue domage another hathe profyte Thus styll the englysshe men lay before Sluse at an anâ—râ— somtyme with theyr barkes barges they set a lande on the other syde agaynst Sluse where as there was but a ryuer to passe there they brente a mynstre other townes alonge on the see syde on the dygnes called Torne Hoque Murdequer toke men prysoners in the countrey were there lyenge a .x. dayes layde bysshmentes bytwene Dan Sluse on the way of Coceler there was taken IohnÌ„ of Lannay a man of armes of Tourney who was come thyder with the lorde of Estrynay syr Blanquart of Calomne came theues on the spurres fro Tourney with .xl. speres and also syr Robert Merchaunt a knyght of flaunders who had to his wyfe a bastarde doughter of the erle of flaunders was as then at Bruges when the tydynges spred abrode of the Englysshmen so he departed came to Sluse entred in to the castell whiche he founde in small defence for yf the englysshmen had taken lande at Sluse as they dyd on the other syde of the water they had taken at theyr ease the castell all the towne for suche as sholde haue defended the towne were so abasshed that there was no man toke ony hede of defence then this knyght gaue them harte sayd Ayesyrs and good men of Sluse howe maynteyne you yourselfe by that ye shewe yourselfe dyscomfyted without ony stroke strykynge men of valure of good defence ought not so to do they sholde shewe forth a good vysage as longe as they coulde endure at the leest tyll they were slayne or taken therby they sholde attayne to the grace of god and prayse of the worlde thus sayd this syr Robert when he came to Sluse IN the meane season whyle the englysshmen were before Sluse theraboute al the couÌ„trey to Bruges were afrayde for they were euery day abrode a foragynge a foote for they had no horses somtyme they wolde entre far in to the countrey On a day they brente the towne of Cocesy on the downes a grete vyllage in the way towarde Ardenbourge so to the see syde called Hosebourcke they dyd there what they lyst myght haue done more yf they had knowen what case the countrey was in wheÌ„ they had taryed there at theyr pleasure sawe that no man came agaynst them then they toke theyr shyppes drewe vp sayles so retourned in to Englande with CC.M. frankes of profyte and so came in to Tames streyght to London where as they were receyued with grete ioy for the good wynes of Poycton Xamton that was determyned to haue ben dronken in flaunders in Haynalte Brabant in dyuers other places in pycardy the englysshmen brought all with them in to englande was lorde departed at London in other places of Englande wyne was solde then for .iiii. pens the galon and certayne merchauntes of zerecyell in zelande lost parte of the same wyne but they had restytucyon agayne of all theyr losses for they of zercyell wolde neuer agree to go to make warre in to englande nor wolde suffre none of theyr shyppes to goo in the iourney wherby they atteyned grete loue of the Englysshmen syr IohnÌ„ Bucke was put in pryson curioysly at London he myght go where he lyst but euery nyght to lodge in the cyte he coulde neuer come to his raunsome yet the duke of Borgoyne wolde gladly haue had hym by exchaunge for a bastarde broder of the kynge of Portyngalles whom they of Breuelet had taken on the see comynge to Meldeboure thus syr IohnÌ„ Bucke was prysoner thre yeres in Englande and there dyed ¶ Howe the duke of Lancastres marshal toke the towne of Ribadane whiche was strongly kepte Ca. lxxiiii HOwe yt ys tyme that we retourne to the busynes of Castell Portyngale to speke of the duke of Lancastre beynge in Galyce of suche busynes as fall in that seasoÌ„ whiche were not smal also to shewe what ayde comforte the frensshe kynge sent that tyme in to Castell or elles kynge IohnÌ„ of Spaynes busynes had but easely gone forwarde I say surely yâ— same yere that the duke aryued in his countrey he had lost all his laÌ„de if the ayde of the frensshe kyng had not ben ye know wel that tydynges spredeth euer farre the kynge of Portyngale knewe as soone as the duke of Lancastre or ony other maÌ„ how the frenssh kynges army that lay on the see to haue gone in to Euglande brake theyr iourney for the kyng of Portyngale lay as theÌ„ at the cyte of Porte a stroÌ„ge towne a haue wel vsed by reason of merchauÌ„tes that resorted thyder when he knew of the brekynge of the frensshe kynges army he was glad therof for it had benshewed hym before that all englande was lykely to haue ben lost Wherfore he som what dyssymuled with the duke of Lancastre dryuynge of the takyng of his doughter in maryage but styll he draue hym of with fayre wordes
you from your husbande or I mary you The lady coulde gete none other wordes of the kynge and she shewed all the matter to her husbande and when that knyght knewe therof he was sory and maleneolyous and regarded and studyed what were best for hym to do and sayd to hymselfe I wyll not thus leue my wyfe howbeit he doubted the kynge and wente out of the royalme of Portyngale into Castell to kynge Henry who receyued hym and reteyned hym to be of his house as longe as he lyued and soo dothe kynge IohnÌ„ that nowe is Thus the kynge of Portyngale to accomplysshe his folysshe pleasure sente for the knyght and for the lady but the knyght was goone Then the kynge sente for the bysshophe of Connymbres who was as then chauncelloure of Portyngale and of the kynges counsayle and the kynge shewed hym his entent how he wolde wedde Elyanoure of Coygne and the bysshop fered the kynge bycause he knewe hym of an hyghe and a fyerce condycyon therfore he durst not saye contrary to the kynges pleasure and also syr IohnÌ„ Ferant Audere who was chefe of counsayle with the kynge to please the kynge ayd to the bysshop Syr ye may wed them wel ynoughe ones the kynge shal make recompence for all so the bysshop wedded them this lady was crowned quene so reputed in al the grete Cytees in Portyngale and had as moche honoure and reuerence as euer hadde ony other quene in the royalme of Portyngale and the kynge had by her a doughter who as nowe is quene of Castell True it was that whyle kynge Ferant lyued he sente on a day to Lyxbone for all the prelates and noble men of the countrey and for the counsayles of the Cytees portes and townes of Portyngale and this was or your broder the erle of Cambrydge came in to Portyngale and there the kynge made euery man to swere and to promyse that after his dyssease they sholde take his doughter the lady Beautryce Who was as then but fyue yeres of aege for herytoure of the royalme of Portyngale euery man sware whether they wolde or not Howbeit the moost parte of them that were there knewe ryght well that she was but a bastarde and borne in aduoutrye for her moders husbande was styll lyuynge called syr IohnÌ„ Laurence of Coygne who lyued in Castell with the kynge there as longe as kynge Ferant of Portyngale lyued and lenger how bert syr I thynke surely yf the kynges doughter had ben a sone that all the comonaltye of Portyngale wolde soner haue agreed to hym theÌ„ to his doughter For to her they sayd they wolde neuer agree but had rather dye then to be vnder the subiectyon of the royalme of Castell ¶ For as yet the royalme of Portyngale and the royalme of Castell neuer loued parfytely togyder But hathe often tymes haryed and made warre eche with other In lykewyse as the royalme of Scotlande dothe with that royalme of Englonde THen the duke of Lancastre demaunded of Laurence Fongase where kynge IohnÌ„ that nowe is broder to kynge Ferrant was in kynge Ferrantes dayes Syr sayd the squyer he was in the royalme of Portyngale in a house of relygyon wherin be knyghtes of an ordre in whyte habytes with a reed crosse and he was souerayne of that house and was called mayster Deuyce The kynge set lytell by his broder but made hym ruler of that house of Denyce nor also kynge IohnÌ„ that nowe is medled nothynge with the busynes of the royalme nor thought nothyng of the crowne therof For yf kynge Ferrant of Portyngale had thought ony thynge of that is fallen syth he loued his lady Elyanoure the lady Beautryce her doughter he wolde haue slayne his broder who is nowe kynge but bycause he sawe that he kepte his house with the bretherne of his ordre so mekely and duely he had no suspecte in hym but so let hym lyue in peas And syr as for the dyssencyon that is nowe bytwe-Portyngale and Castell surely syr to saye the trouthe therin the Spanyardes are cause ther of Why so sayd the duke I shall shewe you sayd the squyer The Castellyans when they sawe that kynge Ferrant had maryed his doughter to theyr kynge then they began to be prowde and began to speke grete wordes whiche sore greueo the Portyngales for the Spanyardes wolde say Oye Portyngales rude people lyke beestes The tyme nowe is come that we shall haue a good market of you for ye haue ben and shall be ours we shall deuyde and set you in companyes as we do the Iues who dwelleth by truage vnder vs ye shall be our subiectes with other venymous wordes often tymes they sayd thus when they met the Portyngales And whyle kynge Ferrant lyued had maryed his doughter in to Castell they engendred suche an hate that they murmured and sayd it were better to be deed theÌ„ to be vnder the daunger and subieccyon of the Castellyans and so kynge Ferrant fell syke whiche endured a hole yere And when he was deed and buryed in the chyrche of saynt Fraunce a relygyous house of freers in the cyte of Lyxbone Then the cytees good townes and castelles in Portyngale closed theyr gates they sente for the kynge that nowe is to Lyxbone who knewe ryght well the ententes of the .iii. other cytees as Connymbres Porte and Eure. Then they sayd Mayster Deuyce so he was called as then We wyll make you kynge of this royalme thoughe ye be a bastarde but we say that your cosyn the lady Beautryce quene of Castell is borne rather a basterde than you for as yet lyueth her moders fyrst husbande And syth it is so that the crowne of Portyngale is fallen in two wayes we wyll take for vs the moost profytable and also the moost parte of the royalme enclyneth to make you our kynge and that the crowne of Portyngale shall not go to a woman nor we wyll not be vnder the subieccyon of the kynge of Castell nor of the Castellyans we had rather ye sholde take all that we haue to ayde and to maynteyne vs and our fraunches theÌ„ the Castellyans sholde be maysters ouer vs wherfore syr receyue our gyfte for we wyl it shal be thus then this mayster Denyce who is as nowe kynge wolde not receyue theyr offre at the fyrst nor seconde request but answered and sayd Good people I knowe well of good affeccyon and entyer loue ye offre me the crowne of Portyngale whiche is a grete thynge and where as ye saye that I haue as grete ryght or more to the crowne as my coâ—yn the quene of Castell In lykewyse I thynke the same for true it is she is a basterde for as yet lyueth her moders husbande and is in Castel but there is one poynte ye all alone can not do this matter it behoueth that al the nobles or grete parte of them agre therto theÌ„ they of Lyxbone answered and sayd syr we haue ynowe We knowe all redy
the quene her doughter for she was in suche fray by the dethe of her knyght syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Audere that she thought no lenger to abyde in Portyngale for she sawe she coulde haue there no ther honoure nor rest then she caused mayster Denyce now kynge to be desyred to suffre her to departe and he lyghtly agreed therto and sayd howe that it pleased hym well that she sholde peparte for he sayd she had good cause soo to do The lady departed fro Lyxbone with all her company and she rode so longe by her iourneys that she came to Syuyll where the kynge of Castell and the quene laye and the same season that this lady came thyder there were assembled nere all the nobles of Castell for there they had a grete counsayle on the busynes for Portyngale for kynge IohnÌ„ there toke counsayle howe he myght do scynge the royalme of Portyngale was fallen to hym by successyon by the dethe of kynge Ferrant fader to the quene his wyfe Who agreed or he dyed that it sholde so be and all the countrey in lyke wyse This lady Elyanoure was receyued with the kynge and with the quene her doughter ryght honourably as it was reason Then she was examyned of all the busynes in Portyngale and she shewed them the trouthe of that she hadde sene and knowen and also she sayd howe that it well appered that by all lykelyhede the comons of Portyngale wolde crowne to theyr kynge mayster Denyce with out the kynge of Castell there agaynst made resystence and defence and for that cause they hadde slayne her knyght syr IhonÌ„ Ferrant of Audere bycause he susteyned and alwayes he had done the kynge of Castelles quarell and in all that this lady sayd she was wel byleued for they sawe it well apparent And also certayne barons and knyghtes of the royalme of Portyngale suche as hadde better affeccyon to the kynge of Castell thenne to she kynge that nowe is bycause of kynge Ferrantes doughter and for to accomplysshe and fulfyll theyr othes that they had made to the kynge of Castell at the desyre of theyr kynge IohnÌ„ Ferrant when he gaue his doughter in maryage to the kynge of Castell therfore to acquyte theyr promyse they departed out of the royalme of Portyngale and wente in to Castell and lefte theyr owne landes and herytages on the aduenture to recouer them agayne as the erle Alphons Seroll the grete pryour of saynt IhnÌ„s in Portyngale syr Delagare his broder Ange Syluaste of Geneull IohnÌ„ Aussall and dyuers other to the nombre of .xxv. Wherby the royalme of Portyngale was sore febled and the royalme of Castell enforced Then the kynge of Castell made his somons thrughe out all his royalme that all noble men and all other able to bere armure bytwene .xv. and .xl. sholde in all hast come to hym in to the felde of Sebyll for he sayd he wolde with puyssaunce entre in to the royalme of Portyngale and conquere it as his owne herytage at his commaundement euery man obeyed as it was reason for suche as helde of hym and so they came to the felde of Sebyll and there assembled to the nombre of .lx. M. men of one and other ANd when syr Laurence of Coygne husbande to the lady Elyanoure whome kynge Ferrant of Portyngale toke to his wyfe and was quene of Portyngale vnderstode that she was come out of Portyngale in to Castell Then he wente to certayne of the kynge of Castelles counsayle and sayd to them as in demaundynge of them counsayle My lordes and my grete frendes howe shall I do with Elyamoure my wyfe who is come out of Portyngale in to this countrey I knowe ryght well kynge Ferrant toke her by force agaynst her wyll and nowe kynge Ferrant is deed and ye knowe well by reason I ought to haue my wyfe agayne what counsayle wyll ye gyue me therin and suche as he spake vnto gaue hym counsayle and sayd IohnÌ„ we counsayle you to make no scâ—â—blaunt therof nor demaunde her not agayne nor take her not for if ye do ye shall gretely abate the honoure of the lady and also blemyssheth the honoure of the quene of Castell her doughter for then ye sholde make her worse then a basterde ye se howe the kyng of Castell wyll demaunde and thynke to conquere the royalme of Portyngale as his owne ryghtfull herytage by the ryght of his wyfe Thus ye shode open clerely whiche is nowe somwhat in doubte and trouble and without ye take good hede it wyll cost you your lyfe yf ye make the quene of Castel a bastarde for they of this countrey susteyne her quarell and say that she was borne in iust maryage by dyspensacyon of the pope Well sayd the knyght then what is it best for me to do we shall shewe you sayd they the best that we thynke is that as sone as ye can gete you out of Castell and go agayne to your enherytaunce in to Portyngale leue the lady Elyanoure here with her doughter we se none other saufegarde for you but this by my fayth sayd the knyght I byleue you well for ye counsayle me truely and lyke good frendes So this syr IohnÌ„ Laurence of Coygne taryed not longe after in Castell but departed and wente to Lyxbone there he founde mayster Denyce now kynge and sayd how he was come to serue hym and wolde be vnder his obeysaunce for he wolde take hym for his kynge Mayster Denyce had grete ioye sayd howe he was welcome to hym so gaue hym agayne all his herytage and made hym capytayne of Lyxbone Thus syr as I haue shewed you fell the busynes bytwene Portyngale and Castell ¶ Howe Laurence Fongase ambassadoure fro the kynge of Portyngale in to Englonde shewed to the duke of Lancastre the maner of the dyscorde that was bytwene the royalmes of Castell Portyngale Ca. xliiii THe duke of Lancastre toke grete pleasure to 〈◊〉 Laurence Fongase speâ—â— he spake so attemperaciâ—â—â—o good Frensshe and 〈◊〉 bycause the matter touchâ—â— hym nere and to the enâ—eâ—â— that he wolde come to the botom of his desyâ—â— he sayd Laurence speke on hardely I 〈◊〉 harde no straunger speke this two yere thaâ— had rather here speke then you for ye go toâ— trouthe of the matter Also the letters that 〈◊〉 haue brought to me fro the kynge of Portyngale testefyeth howe there is nothynge thâ—â— hath ben done bytwene Portyngale and Castell but that ye can iustly informe me therâ— â–ª Syr sayd the squyer lytell thynge hath theâ—â— ben done as in dedes of armes but that I haue ben at them wherfore I can well speke of them and syth it is your pleasure and volante that I shall pursewe my wordes I shall shewe you euery thynge as I knowe Thus as I shewed you before kynge IohnÌ„ of Castel assâ—bled his people as soone as he myght and so came with a grete puysaunce and strength towardes Lyxbone or the kynge of Portyngale that nowe is
of armes done and there syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Partelere fought with an axe ryght valyauntly and so dyd his .ii. companyons on the other partye the Spanyardes fought ryght valyauntly Thus they fought the space of .iii. houres whiche was meruayle that meÌ„ coulde endure so longe in theyr armure fyghtynge but the grete dysyre that eyther partye had to wynne honoure caused them to endure the more payne and syr surely Spanyardes and Portyngales are harde men in batayle specyally when they se it is of necessyte thus they fought longe that no maÌ„ knewe who had the better theyr batayle was so egall And syr thanked be god there was nother baner nor penon on our syde that day ouerthrowen but fynally theyr syde began to open and were beten downe on euery syde so that the dyscomfyture fell on them then theyr pages fled awaye to saue themselfe and of the .vii. capytaynes that were there present there scaped away but one that was the meanes of his page who brought hym his horse he dyd his mayster good seruyce that day and that was Adyentall Cassel all the other .vi. were slayne for there was neuer a man taken to raunsome Thus syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Partelere his company obtayned the vyctory of theyr enemyes who were thre agaynst two and this was on a tuysday in the moneth of Octobre nere to Treutouse in the yere of our lorde M.CCC.lxxx and .iiii. ¶ Howe Laurence Fongase shewed the duke of Lancastre the maner of the batayle of Iuberoth bytwene the kynge of Castel and the kynge of Portyngale Ca. xlv ANd after this dyscomfyture on our enemyes our men mounted on theyr horses and there we delyuered suche prysoners as the Castellyans had taken before also gaue them suche pyllage as theyr enemyes had gotten excepte the beestes whiche were in nombre an .viii. hundreth all those we draue in to the garyson of Treutouse for vatayllynge of the towne as it was reason there we were receyued with grete ioye they wyst not what chere to make vs bycause we had delyuered yâ— couÌ„trey of theyr enemyes rescued that they had lost wherby we had grete prayse thrughe all the townes of Portyngale syr in the same yere our men had another fayre iourney on theyr enemyes in the felde of Sybylle but syr fyrst I shall shewe you the moost happyest iourney that the kynge of Portyngale had or ony kynge before hym in CC. yere before whiche was done within .iiii monethes before that that kynge sente vs hyther our enemyes were .iiii. agaynst one of good men of warre and of hyghe empryse wherfore our iourney ought to be the more praysed But syr I thinke ye haue herde therof al redy wherfore I thynke best to speke not therof nay sayd the duke ye shall not leue so ye shall shewe me the hole processe for I wolde gladly here you speke therof yet of trouthe I haue an heraulte here with me called Derby who was there at the batayle as he sayth and he shewed me that suche Englysshe men as were there dyd meruaylles in armes and more by his reporte theÌ„ I bileue was of trouth for there was no grete nombre of them wherby ony grete feate sholde be done by them for my broder the erle of Cambrydge when he came out of Portyngale brought agayne with hym suche Englysshmen as wente thyder But there be many of these Heraultes be suche lyers that they wyll exalte suche as they lyst beyonde measure But for all that the noblenes of them that be good is not lost nor enpayred thoughe it be not shewed by them Therfore it is good to knowe it by the reporte of other that knoweth it ¶ Syr sayd Laurence of all the straungers that were at the batayle of Iuberoth with the kynge of Portyngale there passed not a two hundred men Englysshe Gascoynes and Almaynes and the grettest capytaynes that were there of the straungers were two Gascoynes and one of Almayne of the duchy of Guerles The Gascoynes were called syr Wyllyam of mountferrant and Bernardon and the Almayne Albert of EnglysshmeÌ„ there were a certayne archers but I herde none named but .ii. squyers Northbery and Hartecell and they were called to counsayle with the kynge and other lordes before the batayle Well sayd the duke prosede forthe tell me of that iourney howe it was fought I requyre you syr sayd the squyer with ryght a good wyl for syr to shewe you other howe it was I am sente hyther fro the kynge my mayster THen Laurence Fongase renewed his tale and spake of the busynes of Iuberoth and sayd thus syr ye haue herde by me also by other that after the coronacyon of the kynge of Portyngale at Connymbres that kyng of Castell who had raysed his syege fro Lyxbone for the dethe of pestylence that fell in his â—ost and so wente to yrayne and it was sayd howe it greued hym sore when he was enfourmed of the coronacyon of my redoubted lorde kynge IohnÌ„ of Portyngale for the kynge of Castell claymed and yet dothe ryght in the herytage and crowne of Portyngale by the tytle of his wyfe doughter to kynge Ferrant whiche we denyed and yet do for suche cause as I haue shewed you before so thus the kynge of Castell was counsayled to sende for meÌ„ of war where he myght gete them and specyally in to Fraunce for the frensshmen had alwayes ayded hym susteyned his quarell and the kynge his fader in lykewyse and it was sayd to hym by his counsayle ye nede nothynge but one iourney agaynst them of Portyngale for by puyssaunce if ye may kepe the felde and fyght with them theÌ„ ye shal come to your entente for there is grete varyaunce all redy in Portyngale as ye se and perceyue well for there is here with you of the noblest persones of the royalme and they haue submytted theÌ„selfe vnder your obeysaunce whiche thynge gretely furdereth your warre if ye auaunce yourselfe with puyssauÌ„ce to fyght to this bastaÌ„rde of portyngale whom that comons haue crowned to theyr kynge or he gete ayde of the Englysshemen ye are lyke to ouerthrowe hym and yf ye wynne the iourney all the royalme is yours for it is no grete matter to wyn it after soo by suche counsayle and other thynges IohnÌ„ of Castell auaunced hym selfe to sende letters messageres in to Fraunce Poictou Bretayne Normandy Borgon in to dyuers other places where as he thought to haue men of armes knyghtes squyres for his money or for loue or suche as helde ony thynge of hym and specyally there came many knyghtes squyres to hym out of Byerne and so on a daye as he was at saynt yrayne he auewed his people to the nombre of .vi. or vii.c speres .xxx. M. spanyardes all on horsoacke all hauynge desyre to do vs domage TIdynges came in to Portyngale to the kynge and to the lordes there to them of the good townes and cytees suche as were of
alonge by the frontere of Galyce so there at the partyng of bothe royalmes to mete and speke togyder so on that conclusyon the messagers departed and retourned towarde Galyce rode as they came tyll they came to saynt Iames and there shewed to the duke and the duches howe they had sped of whiche tydynges the duke was ioyfull and so he had cause for his busynes began then to approche ANd when the season came that the duke of Lancastre sholde departe fro saynt Iames he lefte there styll his marshall and al his company excepte .iii. C. speres and .vi. C. archers and syr IohnÌ„ holande who had wedded his eldest doughter with hym and many other knyghtes and squyers and the duke rode the fronters of Galyce and approched nere to Portyngale and the kynge who laye at the Porte knewe well of his comynge and so departed with .vi. hundreth speres and came to the fronters of Portyngale and lodged at a towne called Mouson the last towne of Portyngale on on that syde and the duke of Lancastre came to another towne the fyrst towne of galyce ioynyng to Portyngale called Margasse and bytwene Mouson and Margasse there was a ryuer and fayre medowes and a grete playne a brydge called the mor brydge on a thursday in the mornynge the kyng of Portyngale and the duke of Lancastre with all theyr companyes met togyder there was a goodly and a louyng metynge and there were lodgynges made in the feldes of the kynges syde and thyder went the duke of Lancastre to dyner whiche dyner was well ordred there sate at the kynges table the bysshop of Connymbres the bysshop of Porte the archebysshop of Bargus in Portyngale the duke of Lancastre and a lytell byneth late syr IohnÌ„ of holande and syr Henry beamonde of Englande and there were plentye of mynstrelles and so were in sporte tyll it was nyght that daye the kynge of Portyngale was apparelled all in whyte with a reed crosse of saynt George for that is the habyte of the house called Mouson otherwyse called Denyce in Portyngale of the whiche ordre the kynge was and or he was crowned was called mayster therof But euer after he bare styll that deuyse in the honoure of god and saynt George and all his men were arayed in whyte and reed then wheÌ„ it began to be late they retourned to theyr lodgynges tyll the nexte daye The kynge wente to Mouson and the duke to Margasse and bytwene bothe there was no more but the medowe and the ryuer to passe then on the fryday wheÌ„ they had herde masse they toke theyr horses so rode agayne to mor brydge and there they met agayne there they had goodly lodgynge made The kyng and the duke had theyr chambres hanged with tapyceryes and curteynes as well as and the kynge had ben at Lyxbone and the duke at London and before dyner they counsayled togyder on the state of theyr busynes howe they sholde maynteyne theyr war when they sholde set forth then it was determyned that all the wynter the kynge sholde tary in his owne countrey the duke at saynt Iames to let theyr marshal dele and in marche the kyng and the duke theyr men to assemble togyder and to go and fyght with the kyng of castel where soeuer he sholde be as theÌ„ for they sayd they sholde be Englysshe and Portyngales togyder a .xxx. thousande and when al this was concluded then the kynges counsayle comoned amonge themselfe for a maryage for theyr kynge for it was tyme and the royalme wolde that he were maryed to his honoure profyte and for to haue good alyaunces in tyme to come and they sayd they knewe not as then where he sholde mary more to his profyte nor to the welthe of his comons then in the house of Lancastre and this they shewed to the duke and when he sawe the kynges entencyon and howe that he was in the kynges daunger seynge he was come out of Englande in to the fronters of Portyngale to demaunde his herytage of Castell then he answered smylynge sayd to the kynge who was there presente syr I haue in the towne of saynt Iames two doughters I wyll gyue you one of them whome it pleaseth you to chose Syr sende thyder your counsayle and I shal sende her to you syr sayd the kynge I thanke you ye offre me more then I desyre as for my cosyn Katheryne I wyll leue her styll with you but as for Phylyp your doughter her I demaunde and wyl wedde her and make her quene of Portyngale and so brake vp theyr counsayle and wente to dyner and sate as they dyd the daye before they were serued notably accordynge to the vsage of the countrey and after dyner the duke retourned to Margasse and the kynge to Mouson THe saterday after masse they met agayne at the sayd place and that daye the duke of Lancastre made the dyner for the kynge of Portyngale and his company and there were chambres and halles hanged with arras enbrowdery as rychely as thoughe they had ben at London and the Portyngales praysed moche the Englysshe maner and at that dyner there were thre archebysshoppes and .vii. bysshoppes syttynge at the hyghe table The bysshop of Lyxbone the bysshop of Porte and the bysshop of Connymbres the archebysshop of Bargus and other and the kynge sate in the myddes of the table and the duke a lytell bynethe hym and bynethe the duke the erle of Nauare and the erle of Angosse and at another table sate fyrst the mayster Denyce then the grete mayster of saynt Iames in Portyngale and the pryour of saynt IohnÌ„s then Don galopes percler IohnÌ„ Ferrant his sone the ponnayse of Congne and Vas Martyn of Congne the Podych of Senede Vas Martyn of merle albarons the abbot of the cabase of Iuberoth the abbot of saynt mary of Eure syr Alue Perere marshall of Portyngale IohnÌ„ Radygosdesar and dyuers other knyghtes and squyers of Portyngale for there sate that daye no Englysshmen for all knyghtes and squyers of englande serued there were many mynstrelles the duke gaue them a C. nobles and the herauldes as moche after dyner when all thynges was accomplysshed they toke leue amyably eche of other tyll another season the kynge retourned to Porte and the duke to Margaâ—se and toke his way in to Galyce and the erle of Nauare conueyed the duke with a C. speres tyll he was out of all daunger and then the erle toke his leue and retourned in to Portyngale the duke rode to saynt Iames in Galyce MOche desyred the duches of Lancastre the retourne of the duke her husbande to here tydynges what conclusyons were takeÌ„ And so the duke was well welcomed home as it was reason and the duches demaunded of hym howe he lyked the kynge of Portyngale by my fayth sayd the duke he is a gracyous man is of body and maners lyke
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
that the tretye of the maryage of his doughter with Iohn of Bretayne was passed for the duke of Lancastre had his doughter with hym in to Castell then he thought to ratrete the kyng of englande to gyue hym in rewarde for suche seruyce as he had done and entended to do Iohn̄ of Brtayne for yf he coulde gete hym of the kyng he was agreed with the constable of Fraunce to haue for his raunsome at two paymentes .vi. score M. frākes the fyrst .lx. M. to be payde as sone as Iohn̄ of Bretayne were sent delyuered in to the towne of Boloyne and the other .lx. M. to be payde at Parys whersoeuer he wolde haue it delyuered the duke of Irelande coueted these floreyns and dyd so moche with the kynge of englande that the kynge gaue hym Iohn̄ of Bretayne clerely wherof many in Englande had grete meruayle but they that lyst to speke wolde speke there was none other thynge the duke of Irelande caused hym to be delyuered in to Boloyne and there the constable had made redy euery thynge for hym dnd so he rode to Parys and there founde the kynge and other lordes of his lygnage who made hym good chere and the constable also who brought hym in to Bretayne and there Iohan of Bretayne wedded his doughter as he had promysed and when the duke of Bretayne knewe that Iohn̄ of Bretayne was retourned in to Fraunce and clene delyuered out of Englande by the ayde and purchase to the constable of Fraunce then he had the cōstable in double hatred sayd what weneth syr Olyuer of Clesson to put me out of myne herytage he sheweth wel the tokens therof he hath delyuered out pryson Iohn̄ of Bretayne and hath gyuen hym his doughter in marriage whiche thynges are to me ryght dyspleasaunt surely that shall I well shewe ones on a daye howe he hath not wel done peraduenture whē he taketh leest hede therof he sayd truely for he shewed it quyckely or the yere passed as ye shall here after in the story But fyrst we wyll speke of the busynes of Castell and Portyngale and of an armye on the see that the englysshmen made to come to Sluse HEre before ye haue herde how the frensshe kynges armye by the see to haue gone in to englande was broken vp in the same season not by the frensshe kynges good wyll for alway he shewed good courage to haue passed in to Englande and when he sawe howe the iourney brake he was more dyspleased then ony other and all the fawte was layde vpon the duke of Berre howbeit it was to be thought that he saw more depelyer in the matter then ony other in his counsayllynge to leue the iourney was for the honoure and profyte of the royalme of fraunce ▪ for who soo euer enterprysed to doo a thynge ought to regarde what ende may come therof and the duke of Berre had ben before so longe in englande in hostage for the kyng his fader had ben so cōuersaunt among the englyssh men had sene so moche of the countrey that he knewe by reason what effecte the goynge in to englande sholde haue come to the cause moost exscusable not to go was bycause wynter was so farre ronne But then it was sayd that the constable of fraunce the nexte somer sholde goo in to englande with a .vi. M. men of armes and as many crosse bowes for it was thought by hymselfe sayd howe that nombre was sufficy to fyght with the englysshe men by reason the constable ought to haue knowen it for he had ben nourysshed there in his yonge dayes whē these lordes were retourned in to Fraunce thē it was determyned to sende socours in to Castell to ayde the kynge there agaynst the kynge of Portyngale and the duke of Lancastre for it was thought that shortely there sholde be some dedes of armes for the englysshmen kepte the felde And it was consydered that they coulde sende noo men of warre thyder without grete cost and charge for the iourney was ferre of there was but lytell money in the kynges treasoury nor in treasourers handes for the some of money that had ben gadered of the people before in the royalme was spente wasted wherfore they studyed howe to gete more and soo a newe tayle and taxe was deuysed to ryn thrughout all the royalme of Fraunce to be payde incontynent without delay noysynge howe it was for the comfortynge of the kynge of Spayne and to dryue the englysshmen out of his royalme This tayle was publysshed in euery place and the kynges commyssyoners sente in to euery good towne and Cyte who sayd to the gouernours of the townes Syrs thus moche your towne is taxed at the whiche ye must pay incontynent then the rulers sayd syrs we shall gather this some and then sende it to Parys nay syrs not so sayd the commyssaryes we wyl not abyde so longe we wyll do otherwyse then so and commaunded in the kynges name a .x. or xii of the best of the towne to goo to pryson without they payde the some without ony longer delay the honest men fered the pryson and the kynges dyspleasure wherfore they drewe them togyder and payde the money incontynente and recouered it agayne of the poore mē thus they dyd in euery good towne so that there were so many tayles and taxes one after and ther for the fyrst was scante payde when another began thus in that season the noble royal me of fraunce was gouerned and the poore people ouer ledde So that many auoyded out of theyr townes and forsoke theyr herytages and houses for they were fayne to sell all that they had and some wente to dwell in Haynalte and in to the bysshopryche of Lyege where as there ranne no taxe nor tayllage ¶ Howe the duke of Borbon was chosen to goo in to Castell and dyuers other and howe syr Iohan Bucke admyral of flaunders was taken prysoner by the Englysshe men Ca. lxxii THen yt was deuysed what capytaynes sholde go in to Spayne Fyrst they apoynted the gentyll duke of borbone that he sholde be souerayne capytayne aboue all other or he departed there was apoynted .ii. other capytaynes to be in the vowarde and the duke of Borbon in the rerewarde with .ii. M. speres knyghtes squyers these .ii. capytaynes that sholde be in the vowarde were syr Wellyam of Lygnac syr Gaultyer hf Passac these .ii. lordes when they knewe that they sholde be the capytaynes of certayne men of armes to go in to Castel they prepayred thē selfe for that iourney then knyghtes and squyers were sente for all aboute the royalme of fraunce to go to Castell and the passages were opened as well in Nauare as in Aragon thenne knyghtes and squyers departed fro Bretayne Poycton Aniowe Mayne Torayne Bloys Orleaunce Beause pycardy borgoyne berre Awuergne fro all the boundes of the royal me of fraunce euery man toke theyr way to go in to Castell
they be courtoys people they wyll do vs no hurte yf we receyue them curtoysly to this they were all agreed then there yssued out of the towne a fyfty persones of them that were moost noble as soone as they knewe that the englysshe men approched they yssued out and aboute a quarter of a legge of they taryed for the Enghysshe men TIdynges came to the Englysshe men howe they of the towne of Maures we re yssued out not to fyght but to yelde them the keyes of the towne whiche they brought with them Then the lordes rode on before to se what the matter was and caused all the archers oost to tary behynde then the Galycyens came forthe and it was sayd to them Syrs beholde here the lordes of Englande sente by the duke of Lancastre to conquere this countrey speke to them yf ye lyst Then they all kneled downe sayd Syrs we be of the poore men of Maures whoâ—wyllyngly wyll be vnder the obeysauÌ„ce of the duke of Lancastre and of my lady the duke of Lancastre and of my lady the duches wherfore we desyre you to accepte vs to mercy for all that we haue is yours the .iii. lordes of englande by eche others aduyse answered and sayd ye good people of Maures we shall go with you in to the towne and parte of â—ur oost not al and there ye shal make promyse othe as good people ought to do to theyr lorde and lady syrs sayd they this shall we doo with good wylles Then sayd the lordes go your wayes on before and open the gates for ye are and shall be receyued to mercy then they wente to theyr towne and opened theyr gates and barryers and suffred the constable and the other lordes to entre and a .iiii. C. speres with them and the resydue of the oost lodged without in the feldes had prouysyon out of the towne suffycyent the lordes lodged within the towne and toke the othes of them of the towne of Maures as it is sayd before ¶ Howe the duke of Lancastre sente for the admyrall and mershal and his other offycers to come to the weddynge of his doughter and the kynge of Portyngale Ca. lxxiiii THe nexte daye after the towne of Maures was gyuen vp and that euery man made them redy to go to the cyte of Besances there came tydynges and letters fro the duke of Lancastre commauÌ„dynge them on the syght of his letters what so euer estate they were in to repayre to his presence certefyenge them that he loked in a shorte season for the archebysshop of Braghes and for syr IohnÌ„ Radyghes de Sar ambassade fro the kynge of Portyngale who were comynge to wedde his doughter by procuracyon and to lede her to the cyte of Porte where the kynge of Portyngale taryed for her When these lordes vnderstode these tydyÌ„ges they retourned theyr waye and sayd it was requysyte for the duke to haue his lordes and counsayle aboute hym at the receyuynge of these ambassadours and so retourned and lefte men of warre in the garysons that they had wonne and so came to the towne of saynt Iames as the duke had commaunded them and within .iii. dayes after thyder came the bysshop of Braghes syr IohnÌ„ Radyghes de Sar with a. CC. horses they were all well lodged then when they were redy apparelled the ambassadours and other lordes in theyr company wente to the duke to the duches in good aray where they were receyued with grete ioy and there declared the cause of theyr comynge The duke herde them well was wel reioyced therw t bycause of the auauntement of his doughter and for the alyaunce of the kynge of Portyngale whiche he thought ryght behouable for hym yf he wolde entre to conquere Castell the bysshop shewed the duke and the duches and theyr counsayle howe he had auctoryte by procuracyon personally to wed the lady Phylyp of Lancastre in the name of the kynge of Portyngale wherwith the duke and duches were well contente thus syr IohnÌ„ Radyghes de sar by vertue of procuracyon wedded the lady Phylyp of Lancastre in the name of kynge of Portyngale and the bysshop of Braghes wedded them soo were layde curtoysly in bed as husbande and wyfe ought to be and the nexte day after the lady with all her company were redy to departe and so toke leue of her fader moder and systers with ladyes damoyselles with her and her bastarde syster wyfe to the marshall with her and with her went syr IohnÌ„ Holande syr Thomas Percy and syr IohnÌ„ Dambrychcourte and. C. speres and. CC. archers and so rode to the cyte of Porte in Portyngale AGaynst the comynge of the yonge quene of Portyngale yssued out of the cyte of Porte to do her honoure and reuerence prelates of the chyrche as the bysshops of Lyxbone of Deure of Connymbres and of Porte and of temporall lordes the erle Dangose the erle of Nouayre the erle of Lescal Galope Ferant Patryke Pymasse Martyne de Marlo and mo then .xl. knyghtes grete nombre of theyr people and many ladyes and damoyselles and all the clergy reuested in habytes of processyon thus the lady Phylyp of Lancastre was brought in to the cyte of Porte in Portyngale soâ— to the kynges palace there the kynge toke her by the hande and kyssed her and all the other ladyes and damoyselles that were come with her and brought her in to her chambre and then toke leue of all the ladyes the lordes of englande that were there lodged at theyr ease all theyr men in the cyte of Porte for it is a grete cyte that nyght they kepte the vygyll of the feest to the nexte day the ladyes daunsynge and passynge theyr tyme that nyght and on the Tuysdaye the kynge of Portyngale with the prelates and lordes of his countrey were redy in the mornynge and kepte on theyr horses at the palays and so rode to the cathedrall chyrche called saynt Maryes and there caryed for the quene who came accompanyed with ladyes and damoyselles and thoughe syr IohnÌ„ Radyghos de Sar had wedded her before in the kynges behalfe yet then agayne openly there the kynge wedded her and so retourned to the palays there was made a grete feest and a solempne and after dyner Iustes and tournays before the kynge and quene and at nyght the pryse was gyuen of theÌ„ without to syr IohnÌ„ Holande and of the chalengers a knyght of the kynges called syr IohnÌ„ Tet dore had the pryse so that day and nyght they perceyuered in grete tryumphe and ioye and the kynge lay with the quene and as the reuome ranne in the countrey courte the kynge was as then a clene mayde the nexte daye the feest renewed and newe Iustes and the pryse of the chalengers had Vas Martyne of Merlo and of them without syr IohnÌ„ Dambretycourte and the nyght there was grete daunsyng syngynge and sportynge and euery day there were knyghtes and
loke for grete comforte to come to them out of fraunce and suche as desyre dedes of armes and aduauncement of honoure wyl come as soone as they can wherfore it behoueth me alwaye to be redy and to abyde batayle this ye may shewe to the kynge of Portyngale and to his counsayle and yf I se that I shall haue ony thynge to do I shall shortely sende the kynge worde therof Wherfore saye that I desyre hym to be redy to ayde and to defende our ryght and his in lyke maner as we haue promysed and sworne togyder and madame when ye retourne agayne to me leue our doughter katheryne there styll with the quene her syster she can not be in better kepynge syr sayd the lady all this shall be doone Then the duches and her doughter and all other ladyes and damoyselles toke theyr leue and departed syr Thomas Percy the admyral accompanyed them and syr non Fythwaren and the lorde Talbot and the lorde IohnÌ„ Dambretycourte and syr Namburyne of Lyuyers and a hundred speres and two hundred archers and soo came to the cyte of Porte in Portyngale ¶ Howe the duches and her doughter wente to se the kynge of Portyngale and the quene And howe the towne of Besances submytted them vnder the obeysaunce of the duke of Lancastre Ca. lxxvi WHenne the kynge of Portyngale vnderstode that the duches of Lancastre and her doughter were comynge to hym warde he was therof ryght ioyfull and sente to receyue them of the grettest meÌ„ of his courte The erle of Angoses and the erle of Nouayre syr IohnÌ„ Radyghos de Sar syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Perteke syr Vas Martyne of Marlo syr Egeas Colle and a .xx. other knyghtes who mette with the duches a two grete legges of and ioyfully receyued them and the duches made frendly chere to al the lordes and knyghtes bothe with wordes countenaunce Thus they came to the cyte of Porte and all the ladyes and damoyselles were lodged in the palays and the kynge came and met with the ladyes kyssed them all then after came the quene who receyued the duches her mooer and her syster ryght honourably as she that coulde ryght wel do it all the kynges courte were ryght ioyfull of the comynge of these ladyes and damoyselles I wyll not speke of all theyr acquayntauÌ„ces and good chere for I was not there present I knowe nothynge but by the reporte of that gently knyght syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Perteke who was there present and he enfourmed me of all that I know in that matter and of many other There the duches deuysed with the kynge of Portyngale when she sawe her tyme shewed hym all the wordes that the duke her husbande had gyuen her in charge to shewe The kynge answered her ryght sagely and sayd Fayre lady and cosyn I am all redy yf the kynge of Castell come forth in to the feldes within .iii. dayes I shal haue râ—dy iil M. speres they be redy in the felde on the fronters of Castell and also I haue redy .xx. M. of the comons of my royal me who be not to be refused for they dydde me good seruyce on a day at the batayle of Iuberoth Syr sayd the lady ye speke well I thanke you therof And syr yf ony thyngs happen to fall to my lorde and husbande he wyll incontynente sygnyfye you therof with these wordes other the kynge the duches deuysed togyder ¶ Nowe let vs tourne to them of Besances shewe howe they sped WHen these .vi. men of Besances were before the kynge of Castel they kneled downe and sayd Ryght redoubted lorde may it please you to vnderstande that we be sent hyder fro your towne of Besances who are by force in composycyon with the duke of Lancastre and with the duches hath obteyned a sufferaunce of warre for .ix. dayes soo that yf ye come or sende suche a strength able to resyst the duches puyssaunce then the towne to abyde styll vnder your obeysaunce elles they are bouÌ„de haue layde hostage to delyuer vp the towne to the duke of Lancastre wherfore maye it please your grace to gyue vs answere what we shall do in this case The kynge answered and sayd syrs we shall take aduyse and then gyue you answere therwith the kynge departed fro them and entred in to his secret chambre I cannot tell what counsayle he toke nor howe the matter wente but these .vi. men were there .viii. dayes and had no maner of answere nor sawe no more the kynge Soo the day came that the towne sholde be gyuen vp as theÌ„ theyr messagers were not retourned agayne Then the duke of Lancastre sent to Besances his marshall the .x. day to speke with them and to coÌ„maunde them to rendre vp theyr towne or elles to stryke of the heedes of the hostages the marshall came to Besances to the barryers and there spake with them of the towne and sayd ye syrs of Besances take hede what I saye My lorde the duke of Lancastre hath sente me to you to demaunde why ye haue not brought to hym the keyes of your towne and submyt you to be vnder his obeysaunce as ye ought to be the .ix. dayes be past as ye knowe well and yf ye wyll not thus do your hostages shall lese theyr heedes here before you and after we shall assayle you and take you perforce and then ye shall all dye without mercy lyke theÌ„ of Rybadane wheÌ„ the men of Besances herde those tydynges they gretly doubted and also fered to lese theyr frendes that were in hostage with the duke sayd to the marshall syr my lorde the duke hath good cause to say and do as ye haue reported but syr as yet we here no tydynges fro our men whom we sente to the kynge of Castel for the same cause we wote not what is become of them Syrs sayd the marshall peraduenture they are kepte there styll for the tydynges they haue brought to the kynge of Castell whiche are not very plesaunt to hym to here but my lorde the duke wyl abyde no longer wherfore aduyse you to make me shorte answere elles shortely ye shall haue assaulte then they spake agayne and sayd syr we requyre you let vs assemble togyder in the towne to take aduyse and then we shal answere you I am content sayd the marshall then they retourned in to the towne and by the blastes of trompettes in euery strete they assembled to gather in the market place then they declared to all the comonte all the foresayd wordes and so fynally they accorded to rendre vp theyr towne to saue theyr estates that were in pryson then they retourned to the marshall sayd syr in al your demaundes we can fynde nothynge but as reason requyreth we are content to receyue my lorde the duke and my lady the duches in to this towne to put theÌ„ in possessyon therof and syr here be the keyes and we shall goo with you to theÌ„
worlde whome the Englysshmen hated moost was syr Olyuer of Clysson constable of fraunce For in dede syr Olyuer of Clysson euer studyed nyght and daye howe he myght doo dyspleasure to the Englysshe men and the duke knewe ryght well of the armye that was made to god in to Englande bocke at Harflew and at Lentrygnyer then he sayd vnto hymselfe to the entente to please the Englysshe men and to shewe that he dyd not set moche by the Frensshe men he founde the meanes to breke that voyage not in commaundynge his men of Bretayne on payne of lesynge of theyr herytage not to go in to Englande nor to ayde the frensshe partye this he dyd not but he shewed outwardly that the warre was for hym but he dyd his entrepryse more couertly he caste in his ymagynacyon that he myght not doo more honourably nor more to his profyte then to take the constable of Fraunce prysoner or elles to slee hym therby he knewe well he sholde please the Englysshe men for they hated hym for he thought yf he were out of the waye he cared not for the resydue of his lygnage for he knewe well they were not able to make hym warre for the constable hadde but two doughters the one was maryed vnto IohnÌ„ of Bretayne and the other doughter was maryded vnto the erle of Rohans sone he thought to withstande them wel ynoughe and all his lygnage for yf he hadde slayne hym he sayd he hadde slayne but a baron and that there were none that wolde make hym ony warre for his sake ¶ Howe the duke of Bretayne sente for all his lordes and knyghtes to come to counsayle vnto wannes and after counsayle he desyred the constable to goo and se his castell of Ermyne and howe he toke hym there prysoner and the lorde of Beaumanoyre with hym Ca. lxxxiii ON this foresayd ymagynacyon the duke of Bretayne rested and to come to his entente he somoned his counsayle to come to Wannes and desyred all the lordes and knyghtes of Bretayne effectuously for to come thyder and he dyd sende out his letters vnto them and specyally he requyred syr Olyuere of Clysson Constable of Fraunce that he sholde not fayle but for to be there sayenge howe he wolde gladlyer se hym then ony other The constable wolde not exscuse hymselfe bycause the duke of Bretayne was his naturall lorde and was gladde to haue his good wyll and soo he came to Wannes and soo dydde a grete nombre of other lordes of Bretayne ¶ This counsayle was longe and many matters debated therin touchynge the duke and his countrey without ony worde spekynge of the voyage that they were in purpose to make in to Englande The duke dyssymuled the matter This counsayle was in the cyte of wannes in a castell called the Mote ¶ The duke made all the lordes a grete dyner and fedde them with fayre louynge wordes tyll it was nere nyght and then they retourned to theyr lodgynges in to the subbarbes withoute the cyte And the constable of Fraunce to please the knyghtes and squyers of Bretayne he desyred them all the nexte daye to dyne with hym some dyd soo and some departed to theyr owne howses to take leue of theyr wyues parentes for the constable was purposed as soone as hâ— departed thens strayght to goo vnto his nauâ—e at Lentrygnyer the duke of Bretayne knewe it ryght well but spake noo worde therof makynge semblaunte as thoughe he knewe noo thynge Soo this dyner ended where as were the moost parte of the barons of Bretayne and sodaynly vnto them came the duke of Bretayne ryght amorously by semynge but he thought otherwyse in his harte None knewe therof but suche as he hadde dyscouered his mynde vnto As soone as he entred in to the constables lodgynge some sayd beholde here cometh the duke then euery man rose as reason was and swetely receyued hym as they ought for to doo theyr lorde and he delte ryght getylly and he sate downe amonge them and ete and dranke and kepte good company and shewed them more tokens of loue then euer he dydde before and he sayd vnto them fayre lordes my louers and frendes god sende you well to goo and well to come agayne and sende you ioye and that you maye doo suche dedes of armes as maye please you and that it maye be honourable vnto you all and when they herde these swere wordes of the duke they all answered and sayd Syr we thanke you and god rewarde you of your grete kyndnesse that it pleaseth you to come and se vs at our departynge THis same season the duke of Bretayne was makynge of a Castell nere to Wannes called the castell of Ermyne the whiche as then was nere furnysshed and to the entente to attrappe the constable there he sayd vnto hym and vnto the lorde de la vale and to the lorde of Beawmanoyre and to other lordes that were there Syrs I requyre you or ye departe to come and se my newe castell of Armyne ye shall se howe I haue deuysed it and also howe I purpose for to doo ¶ They all agreed vnto hym bycause they sawe hym come soo louyngly amonge them for they thought none euyll And soo the moost parte of them mounted on theyr horses and rode forth with the duke to the castel of Armyne Than the duke the constable the lorde de la vale and the lorde of Beawmanoyre and dyuers other lordes and knyghtes alyghted of theyr horses and entred in to the castell and the duke ledde the constable by the hande fro chambre to chambre and in to euery house of offyce and made them drynke in the seller Then the duke brought them to the chefe towre and at the dore therof he sayd to the constable Syr Olyuere I knowe noo man on this syde the see that knoweth more in buyldynge then ye doo wherfore I praye you mounte vp the stayres and beholde the buyldynge of the towre yf it be well I am contente and yf ony thynge be amysse yt shall be refourmed after your deuyse the constable thynkynge none euyll sayd Syr with ryght a good wyl please it you to goo before and I shall folowe you naye syr sayd the duke goo your waye vp alone and in the meane tyme I wyll talke with the lorde de la vale the constable wente vp the stayres and when he was aboue and paste the fyrste stage there were meÌ„ in a chaÌ„bre layde in a busshment and they opened the dore and some wents downe and dyd shote the dore bynethe and the other wente vp all armed to the constable there they toke and ledde hym in to a chambre and fetered hym with .iii. boltes of yron and sayd to hym Syr pardon vs for we must nedes do that we do we be thus commaunded by our lorde the duke of Bretayne yf the constable were abasshed at that tyme it was no meruayle THe coÌ„stable ought not to haue grete meruayle of the chaunce for after that the dyspleasure
at length Than Berthaulte answered as he had deuysed in hym selfe the day before and sayd Fayre lordes I repute my selfe gretly honored my doughâ— also if we might come to so hygh an enâ—prise as the erle of Guerles desyreth And whan a mater is begon it wolde nat be proloÌ„ged I saye this bycause that alyaunce by maryage made bytwene the hyghe prince and redouted lorde the erle of Guerles and Mary my doughter pleaseth me rightwell ye make me request that his landes whiche at this presente tyme are so sore charged and layde to pledge in the handes of certayne lombardes and other by reason of this maryage shulde be quyt and that I shulde rydde hym out of dette And all thynges that are nowe darke I shulde make them clere I thanke god of his puissauÌ„ce that it lyeth in me thus to do I am in good wyll so to do But first or this couenaunt be fully agreed written or sealed that I maye be in suretie without trouble or debate that the chyldren comyng of my doughter maye be enherytours to the Erldome of Guerles as the lymites therof do stretche that if my lorde therle of Guerles fortune to dye before my doughter wtout issue bytwene them that than my doughter may enioye the herytage of Guerles duryng her lyfe and afâ— her dyscease to returne to the rightfull heyre And also I saye if my doughter haue heyre or heyres by my lorde therle and than she fortune to dye thoughe the erle than remacy againe the seconde tyme and haue issue by the seconde wyfe yet for all that my doughters heyre or heyres shall nat be disheryted how be it if it please the erle to remary agayne I am contente that he make his seconde wyfe a dower of all suche landes as he hath beyond the ryuer of Muse marchyng to the bysshoprike of Liege and to the duchy of Brabant and nat to charge the princypall signorie of Guerles And thus if the erles frendes and parentes and suche as be next of blode and haue any chalenge to the signory of Guerles with the good townes of the countrey wyll seale to vpholde these deuyses and couenauÌ„tes than I am coÌ„tent and wyll assent to this maryage ye may nowe answere to this if ye haue any charge so to do Than the knyghtê answered whan they had a lytell counsayled toguyder Than one for them all sayd sir we haue well herde your answere but we haue none auctorite to confyrme nor to graunt so farforthe as ye demaunde But we shall retourne to our lorde therle and to his couÌ„saile and shewe hym your answere and demauÌ„de and shortely ye shall here fro hym agayne Than Berthalte said sirs as god wyll so be it Thus they deê‘ted out of the chambre ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the erle Raynolde of Guerles was maryed to Mary doughter to Berthault of Malignes by whoÌ„ he had a doughter and after maried agayne in Englande and had issue two sonnes and a doughter howe sir IohnÌ„ of Bloyes wedded theldest doughter of the erle of Guerles and howe after the couÌ„tie of Guerles remayned with therle of Guerles yongest doughter Cap. C .xii. YE haue well herde all the answers demaundes bytwene the foresaid parties wherfore I speke no more therof But as ye haue herde whan therle of guerles messangers were returned home agayn The erle was hoote in the mater for he sawe well he coude as than do no better thaÌ„ to mary Berthalt of Malygnes doughter he was so riche a man Than the erle and his counsaile made and deuysed writynges sufficient and therle set to his seale and his next freÌ„des and pareÌ„tes in lykewise so dyd other knightes of Guerles and good townes And whan all was confyrmed and done as Berthaulte was content the maryage was made and the erles dettes payde and his Landes clerely quytte out of daunger Than the Erle toke newe counsayle and began a newe lyfe and state if he were called good before he was named better after for than he had well wherwith he lacked nothyng of that Berthault of Malygnes myght ayde hym The erle bare hym to his wyfe ryght honourably for she was a fayre lady good sage deuout prudent but they were nat toguyder past a four yeres but that the lady dyed And she had a doughter called Isabell whan therle of guerles was a wydower he was but yong Than he maryed agayne ryght highly For kynge Edwarde of Englande father to the good kyng Edwarde who beseged Tourney and wanne Ealis he gaue to this erle Raynolde a doughter of his named Isabell and by her this erle had thre chyldren two sonnes one doughter sir Raynolde sir Edwarde and Iane who afterwarde was duches of Guerlers For in lykewise as Bertram of Malignes had ymagined in the begynnyng whan his doughter maryed the erle of Guerles euyn so it fell for there was no trouthe kepte to hym For whan kynge Edwarde of Englande who was vncle to the erle of Guerles chyldren came first in to Almayne to the Emperour Loyes of Bauyers whiche Emperour instytuted kynge Edwarde to be his vycar generall throughe all the marches of the Empyre as it is conteyned in the begynnyng of this boke Than the couÌ„tie of Guerles was made a duchy and the countie of Iulyers was made marques of Iulyers to augment their dignities And to come to our mater the duke Raynolde of Guerles nephue to kynge Edwarde dyed without issue and sir Edward of Guerles was maryed in Heynault and had to wyfe the yongest doughter of duke Aubert but the lady was so yonge that this sir Edwarde neuer touched her carnallye And so this sir Edwarde also dyed withoute issue who was a ryght valyaunt knight He was slayne in the batayle that was bytwene the duke of Brabant and duke Wincelant before Iulyers His suster Iane who was maryed to duke Guylliam of Iulyers had chyldren And she by successyon of her bretherne said and toke vpon her to be heyre to the duchy of Guerles and in lykewyse so dyde her eldest suster by the firste maryage For the two bretherne by the seconde maryage were bothe deed withoute laufull issue Wherfore she sayde she was enherytoure Thus fell the difference bytwene the two susters and some of the countrey wolde haue the one and some the other And the eldest suster was counsayled to mary in to some high lygnage that myght ayde her chalenge and defende her herytage Than there was treatie made by the bysshoppe of Coloygne that was than to the lorde sir Iohan of Bloyes For therle Loyes his brother as than lyued and the bysshoppe sayd that he shulde therby be duke of Guerles For by successyon of the two bretherne deed withoute issue male Therfore by right of mariage the right shuld retourne to her for none other coude chaleÌ„ge any right but she And sir Iohan of Bloyes who alwayes had ben nourisshed brought vp in the parties of Hollande and zelande for there he
they were chased tyll they mette with the fote men who in lykewise than fledde and kepte none order and lepte into the Vynes and in to the dykes to saue themselfe The crosbowes that came out of Cleremount kepte better array than their company dyde For they close toguyder toke a vyne yarde and bent their bowes and made vysage of defence and kepte them selfe there tyll all the Englysshe menne were withdrawen backe agayne to Mountferant They of Cleremont lost tweÌ„tie of their men sixe slayne and fourtene taken Thus it fell of that enterprice and all that day euery maÌ„ trussed and made redy to departe the same nyght after and by sixe of the Clocke euery man hadde trussed vp their baggage and laded their horses and sette them selte a foote They past nat a threscore on horsebacke and so sette forwarde in the stretes their somers and caryages they hadde well a foure hundred horse charged with clothes naprie and furres and other thynges necessary They founde in the towne cofes and presses full of stuffe but they lafte them clene voyde They bounde their prisoners two and two toguyder And whan they were all redy and that it was nyght they opyned the gate and issued out They had taryed in Mount feraunt no more but eyghtene houres They sette their cariage before them and thaÌ„ their prisoners and foote men and the capitayns on horsebacke came after them The nyght was darke and the countrey nat aduysed of their departynge wherfore they were nat pursued and about mydnight they came to Ousacke fro whens they came the seconde day before there they rested them It was shewed me that they wanne by the same voyage a hundred thousande frankes besyde their prisoners Sir Peter of Gyache chauncelloure of Fraunce loste for his parte in redy money thyrtie thousande frankes or aboue THe companyons were well counsayled to leaue Mount feraunt in Auuergne so soone as they dyde For if they had taryed there two dayes lengar than they dyde they hadde nat departed without great daunger and paraduenture with losse of their lyues For all the knyghtes and squiers of the countrey gathered toguyder and came thyder with puyssaunce to haue layde siege to the towne and the lordes of the couÌ„trey as ye haue herde before named none taryed behynde And the erle Dolphyn was come within two dayes iourney but than he herde tidynges howe the Englysshmen and gascoyns were departed to their owne forteresses and there the trouthe of the hole mater was shewed hym WhanÌ„e he knewe the trouthe he rode than more at his ease came to saynt Pursayne and fro thens to Moulyns in Burbonoyes And there he fouÌ„de the duches of Burbone his doughter who was sore a frayde of that aduenture Howe be it whan she knewe that the aduentures were gone she was gladde therof for thanne she thought her countrey more surer than it was before By my faythe quod the erle I wolde it had coste me greatly that they had taryed styll at Mount Ferant tyll I had come thyder For if they were there nowe they shulde haue an yuell ende We coulde nat haue had a better enterprise in all Auuergne wherby to haue recouered all the fortresses that they holde It semeth well they are skylfull men of warre that they taryed there no lengar they are gone to their owne holdes with all their pyllage and prisoners Thus the Erle and the duchesse his doughter coÌ„muned toguyder And Perot le Bernoys and Olyue Barbe the Bourge of CoÌ„payne the Bourg angloys Apthon Seguyn and the other capitayns of the fortresses whan they were coÌ„e to Ousacke they departed their botye pyllage and prisoners And some they raunsomed and the other they ledde to their fortresses Some to Carlat and some to Gaslucet All the countre of Auuergne toke better hede to they holdes than they hadde done before Howe be it the erle of Armynake and the erle Dolphyn sente to Perotte le Bernoys sayeng howe falsely and traytourously he had taken and stollen the towne of Mountferant and robbed it and ledde away the prisoners counsaylynge hym to make therof amendes Consydringe howe they were in treatie toguyder â—or a peace Perotte aunswered and sayde Sauyng their graces as for my selfe and seuyn other Capitayns that were with me at the takynge of Mountferant were neuer at no maner of treatie with these Erles nor we toke nat this towne fraudulently nor stale it But I entred in at the gate whiche was opyned redy to receyue me If I and my company hadde been sworne to any treatie we wolde haue kepte it surely But we were neuer of that entencyon nor wyll be In this case the mater stoode and the lordes coude haue none other answere Sir Peter of Gyache was sore displeased for the losse that he hadde And as for them of Mounte ferant recouered them selfe as well as they myght Thus this aduentures fell ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the duke of Berrey maryed the lady Mary his doughter to the erle of Bloys sonne And howe the same yere the sonne of the duke of Berrey marryed the lady Mary of Fraunce suster to the yong kyng Charles of Fraunce Cap. C.xxiii IN the yere of our lorde God a thousande thre huÌ„dred fourscore and sixe in the moneth of August Guye the erle of Bloyes and the Lady Mary his wyfe departed fro the towne of Bloyes well acompanyed with knightes and squyes ladyes and damoselles to go in to Berrey and they had with theym their yonge sonne who hadde fyaunced the yere before Mary doughter to the duke of Berrey and the entencyon of the erle of Bloyes and of the couÌ„tesse his wyfe was that whan they shulde come to Burgus in Berrey to ê“cede to the sayd maryage In lykewise it was the entencyon of the duke of Berrey of the duches his wyfe Thus whaÌ„ all these ê‘ties were come togyder than these two chyldren were ioyned togider in mariage in the churche of saynt Stephyn in Burgus by a Cardynall the chauncellour of Berrey and the bysshoppe of Poyters had the yere before ensured theym toguyder It this maryage of Loyes of Bloyes and of the lady Mary of Berrey in the cytie of Burgus was made great feest and tryumphes with iustes turneyes This feest endured eight dayes whaÌ„ this was accomplysshed the erle of Bloyes and the countesse tooke leaue of the duke of Berrey and of the duchesse and so returned to Bloyes and hadde with them their yonge doughter Also in the same yere IohnÌ„ of Berrey sonne to the duke of Berrey called Erle of Mountpensier maryed the lady Mary of Fraunce suster to the yonge kynge of FrauÌ„ce In the same yere that these Maryages were thus made In the tyme of lente the duchesse of Berrey and Mary of Fraunce her doughter and her sonne rode to the towne of Bloyes to se the Erle Bloyes and the countesse and their chyldren They were receyued in to the Castell of Bloyes with great ioye At all these maters I sir
at Towers in Thourayn bytwene the Frenche kynge and the duke of Bretayne and of the mariage of the doughter of Fraunce to the lonne of Bretayne and of IohnÌ„ of Bretayne erle of Pointhieur and the doughter of the duke of Bretaygne Cap. C.lxxxi YE haue herde here before in dyuers places in this hystory howe the duke of Bretayne and syr Olyuer of Clysson as than constable of Fraunce hated mortally eche other and besyde the hatred that the duke had to syr Olyuer he had gret enuy that he was so great with the kinge and so secrete of his counsayle and gladly he wolde haue troubled hym but he doughted the kynges displeasure and often tymes the duke repented hym that he had nat slayne hym whan he had hym in prisone in the castell of Ermyn for he thought if he had slayne hym than he shulde neuer haue had more trouble by hym The yuell wyll that he had to hym caused hym to be harde mynded to be obedyente to the crowne of Fraunce howe be it he knewe well he dyd yuell therfore he suffred all thynge to passe at aduenture and helde in his loue the englysshe men and prouyded suffycyently his townes and fortresses with artyllery vytayles and sent priuely in to Englande for men of armes and archers dyd set them in his garysons and made to be beleued that he loked to haue warre but his men knâ—we nat with whome howe be it all that euer he dyd was knowen in FrauÌ„ce and many spake largely against him He knewe well that certrayne lordes of Fraunce were nat contente with hym but he dyd set lytell therby but so passed on his tyme. He had great affyaunce in his cosyne the duchesse of Burgoyne as it was reason for he had of her a specyall supporte and ayde for the lady bycause of lygnage loued hym and bycause that the erle of Flaunders her father who was cosyn germayne to the duke had alwayes loued and comforted hym in all his trybulacyons This lady of Burgoyne was a good lady so that the duke her husbande wolde nat gladly displease her and good cause why for the duke by her helde great herytages and had by her fayre chyldren all the realme of Fraunce was bounde to loue her and she had nat ben great dyscensions had moued bytwene the parties for natwithstandynge that the duke of Bretayne had ben at Paris with the french kyng and made to hym homage yet I can nat well say if it was with good herte or no for as sone as the duke was retourned in to Bretaygne there apered in hym but small amendemente he had sworne obeysaunce and to be obedyent to the pope at Auignon but he was nat for rather he dispysed hym in his wordes Nor also he wolde suffre no man to be promoted in his countrey by that popes bulles but helde hym selfe newter in dyuers thynges wolde gyue the benefyces hym selfe No clerke coulde atteygne to any promocyon of any benefyce in his countrey without he had ben well pleased therwith Also any coÌ„mauÌ„dements that came out of the parlyament chambre of Parys he sette nothynge therby The prelates and bysshoppes of Bretayne lost great parte of their iurisdictions by this duke so that great complayntes therof was made in the parlyament of Parys but they hadde small remedy And whan he was sent for to come to Parysê or els to sende thyder some able personages to make aunswere to suche matters as shulde be aledged agaynste hym and whan any of the kynges offycers came in to Bretaygne to somon hym to apere thanne he wolde nat be spoken withall but euer made sondry seues And whan the kinges officers dyd departe againe thens than he wolde say I wyll go to Parys to se what ryght I shall haue there It is nat yet thre yeres sence I was there to se what ryght I shulde haue but I coulde se nor here of no ryght there mynystred the lordes of the parlyament tourne euery thynge as they lyst They reken me very yonge and ignorante to be ledde as they lyst but I wolde they knewe that if all my men of the duchy of Bretaygne were all of one accorde and obedyent to my pleasure as they ought to be I wolde gyue the realme of Fraunce so moche to do that I wolde bringe theym that be vnreasonable to reason and suche as hath done trewly shulde be rewarded acordyngly and suche as haue deserued to haue iustyce shulde haue as they haue deserued and suche as wolde haue right shuld haue it Thus many complayntes were made often tymes to the kynge and suche as were of his secrete counsayle said This duke is ryght presumptuous and proude sythe he wyll be brought to no reason and if he shulde be thus suffred in his lewde opinyon it shulde greatly enfeble the noblenesse of this realme for by hym other lordes shall take ensample to do yuell and therby the iurysdictyon of the realme lytell and lytell shall be loste Than it was deuysed to withstande and to fynde remedy for suche inconuenyentes and to sende swetely to hym to come to Towrs in Thourayne and there to mete with the french kyng and with the duke of Berrey and the duke of Burgoyne the bysshop of Charters the bysshoppe of Dothune These four were specyally named bycause the duke loued them best aboue all other lordes of Fraunce excepte the erle of Estampes and the lorde Coucy THus there was sente in to Bretayne to the duke the erle of Estampes and mayster Iue of Noyent They toke great payne and traueyle to moue the duke to mete with the frenche kynge at Towrs they spake so fayre with fresshe coloured wordes armed with reason that the duke agreed to go to Towrs but further he sayd in no wyse he wolde go and also that he shulde nat se his enemy syr Olyuer of Clysson in no wyse All this was acorded agreed or he wolde come to Towrs These ambassadours retourned in to Fraunce and shewed the kynge and his counsayle howe they had spedde They were contente therwith sythe they coulde brynge hym to none other purpose The kynge and his couÌ„sayle made them redy to go to Towrs and to tary there a two or thre monethes for they thought their treatie with the duke of Bretayne shulde nat sone be acomplisshed Thus the frenche kinge the duke of Thourayne his brother the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne and Iohan of Burgoyne his sonne the duke of Burbon the lorde Coucy the erle of Marche the Erle of saynte Poll and other of the counsaile of FrauÌ„ce came to Towrs in Thourayn Also thyder came the constable of FrauÌ„ce and Iohan of Bretayne his sonne in lawe and their counsayles for they hadde maters there to do And a fyftene dayes after thyder came the duke of Bretayne or he came it was sayd he wolde nat come for he had thre tymes sent to excuse hym selfe sayenge he was speke and coude nat ryde how be it finally
attaygne to the herytage of Bretaygne of the whiche he is without and shall be for I haue chyldren sonne and doughter that shall succede after me Secondely he beareth the ermyns whiche are the armes of Bretaygne but of trouthe to do me dyspleasure withall sir Olyuer clysson mayntayneth him in that opinyon and as longe as he is in that case I wyllagre to no treatie with the kynge As for warre I wyll make none to the kyng bycause he is my naturall lorde but if by yuell informacyon the kyng make me warre I shall defende me he shall fynde me in myne owne countre all this I wyll that the kyng knowe THus the treatie bytwene the kynge and the duke of Bretayne contynued rygorously for the duke was lorde and mayster of his counsayle but the frenche kynge was nat so of his but was ruled by syr Olyuer Clisson and the Begue of Vyllains syr Iohan Mercyer and by syr Willyam of Montague the duke of Burgoyne who had clere vnderstandyng of euery thynge suffred the duke of Bretaygnes reasons and defences to be sayde in place and couertly he susteyned them and had the duke of Berrey of his opynyon for he hated inwardly them of the kynges priuy chambre bycause they had dystroyed his treasourer Betysache shamfully by iustyce at Besyers as ye haue herde here before but he suffred it for he sawe no tyme to be reuenged In this dyfference the duke of Bretaygne taryed at Towrs thre monethes that their treatie coulde come to no good conclusyon and were at the poynte to haue departed and the kynge was in wyll that as soone as he was retourned in to Fraunce to make a great assemble to make warre the next somer after in to Bretayne agaynst the duke suche of his acorde to leaue all other busines but the dukes of Berrey of Burgoyne the lorde Coucy therle of saint Poll sir Guy of Tremoile the chanceller of FrauÌ„ce and dyuers other prelates high barons of FrauÌ„ce suche as were there ymagined to withstaÌ„de this rigorous rebellioÌ„s spake togider and said to the kyng sir we that be the iouerayn lordes piers of your realme and be nere of your lygnage we shulde haue a treatie this next lent for a peace to be had at AmieÌ„ce with thenglysshmen Wherfore sir ye had nede to make haste leaue this yuell wyll bytwene you and the duke of Bretayne for if the duke deê‘te hens without any agrement made bytwene you thenglysshmen wyll be the harder in all their treaties for they wyll thynke theÌ„ to be ayded and coÌ„forted by the duke of Bretayne and by his countrey for the duke hath thenglisshmen at his hande whan he wyll if we haue warre atones bothe with the Englysshmen bretons as we haue had or this they wyll put vs to great payne These lordê dyde so moche with the kyng his couÌ„sayle that at last they founde a meane bytwene the kyng the duke I shewe you what it was surely without the same meanes had ben founde they shulde haue come to no conclusion of good acorde So it was the frenche kyng had a doughter the duke of Bretaine had a sonne there was a maryage made bytwene this sonÌ„e this dought In lykewise IohnÌ„ of Bretayne had a sonÌ„e by the dought of sir Olyuer of Clysson the duke of Bretayne had a doughter and it was thought to make sure peace that the mariage bytwene theÌ„ two were necessary These maryages were agreed concluded howbeit for all these alyaunces yet IohnÌ„ of Bretayne shulde leaue the armes of Bretayne beare them of Chastellon bycause he was extracte by his mother syde of a duke of Bretayne for his mother was doughter to a duke of Bretaygne therfore he was alowed to bere in his armes a bordet of ermyne with thre labels goules on the heed of a scochyn of ermyns Thus he bare these deuises euery thynge was apesed So the duke of Bretayne gate the loue of the kyng of his vncles and dyned with the kyng and so IohnÌ„ of Bretayne was erle of Ponâ—hieuts And thus shewed great loue togyder by meanes of these mariages howe be it the duke in no wyse wolde se nor speke with sir Olyuer of Clysson he had suche displeasure to hym howebeit sir Olyuer made lyght therof for he hated the duke also with all his puissauÌ„ce These mariages thus acorded the lordes sworne and bounde to fulfyll theÌ„ whan the chyldren shulde be soÌ„what of more age Than these lordes determyned to departe fro Tourse to drawe to Parys for the tyme aproched that they shulde be at Amyence personally The frenche kyng his brother his vncles and his couÌ„sayle to mere there with the kyng of Englande his vncles and counsayle who shulde be there So the duke of Bretayne toke leaue of the Frenche kyng and of his brother vncles and of suche other as he loued best and so deê‘ted fro Tourse went in to his owne couÌ„tre and in lykewise so dyd all other lordê The duke of Berrey the duke of Burgoyne the lorde Coucy taryed there styll I shall shewe you why ¶ Howe therle of Bloys and Mary of Namure his wyfe solde the countie of Bloys all their landes to the duke of Thourayne the frenche kynges brother Cap. C.lxxxii YE haue herde here before in this hystorie howe Loys of Bloys sonÌ„e to therle Guy of bloys died whan he was yonge in the towne of Beauniont in Heynalt wher by the lady Mary doughter to the duke of Berrey was a widowe therby she lost her welthe of this worlde for the chylde was a gret enheritour if he had lyued he had ben a great lorde I speke of it bycause it shulde be knowen in tyme to come thenheritauÌ„ce to whome it went out of the right lyne and by what maner therle of Blois Mary of Namure his wyfe were nat in the case to engeÌ„dre children togider for by great driÌ„kyng moche eatynge of wete delycate meates they were ouergrowen with fatnesse so that the erle coude nat ryde but was alwayes caried in a lytter fro one place to another or whan he wolde go a huntyng or haukyng whiche sporte was gretly vsed with the lordê of FrauÌ„ce The same season whyle the Frenche kynge was at Tourse the duke of Thourayne had an ymaginacion whiche he brought to effect as I shall shewe you The duke of Thourayne knewe well he had moche rychesse lying by hym paraduenture a myllion of Floreyns whiche had by reason of his mariage with the lady Valentyne of Myllayne doughter to the erle of Vertus He wyst nat howe to enploy these flornes Than he remeÌ„bred howe the erle Guy of Bloys had great herytagê and that after his dethe they were likely to go to dyuers ê‘sones The erldome of Bloys shulde retourne to Iohan of Bretayne for he was the erles cosyn germayne and the landes of Heynault shulde go to the
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
dissymuled the mater and sayd Sir as it shall please you but ye must haue also my brother of Burgoyne with you We wyll haue hym with vs quod the kyng for without hym we wyll make no voyage We wyll go in to Bretayne with suche an armye able to resyst all our ennemyes We maye se nowe openly that this duke loueth nor setteth by vs but lytell He is proude and presumptuous and we shall entende to nothynge tyll we haue brought hym to reasone Thus the Frenche kyng deuised with the duke of Berrey and manysshed greatly the duke of Bretayne and his assysters The duke of Berrey acorded to all his sayeng but he dissymuled for he thought the contrary THe Frenche kyng hadde great affection to be reuenged of the dispyte that was done to his coÌ„stable wherfore he prepared hym selfe to go in to Bretayne and fyrst to go in to Aniou to distroye and beate downe sir Peter of Craons castel les for all that the duke of Bretayne sayd he had bought them yet the kyng and his counsayle sayd it was no poynt of the dukes heritage but that the duke sayde so to excuse and to susteyne sir Peter of Craon wherfore personally he was in the kynges indignacyon yet in the same season a treatie of maryage was had bytwene the duke of Bretaygnes sonÌ„e and the kynges doughter IN the meane season whyle this voyage was thus ordred great brute therof spoken throughe all Frauce There retourned to Paris the bysshoppe of Noyon and the lorde de la Ryuer fro Foize and Bierne and there shewed the kyng and his counsayle howe they had spedde They were well herde but the voyage in to Bretayne busyed so the kyng and his counsayle that they had no leysar to enteÌ„de to any other mater And the kynge wolde gladly that the constable had ben hole that he might be able to ryde and or the kyng went fro Parys he coÌ„maunded to be beaten downe sir Peter of CraoÌ„s house that stode in the churche yarde of saynt Iohans and than the kynge dyde gyue the grouÌ„de to make a churche yarde of to burye in deed bodyes The Frenche kyng made his prouisyon in the waye to Aniou to Mayne to Bretayne and in to Thourayne on the ryuer of Loyre to the entent to go in to Bretayne none durst speke the contrary REnome was throughout all Paris and it was well knowen that sir Olyuer of Clisson coÌ„stable of FrauÌ„ce whan he laye thus sicke of his hurtê made his testament to the entente that his heyres shulde knowe the trouthe of euery thyng that he had and where it was His heyres were two doughters the one was maryed to Iohan of Bretayne erle of Ponthieur It was he that sir Olyuer had quytte out of prisone in EnglaÌ„de and payde for hym sixscore thou sande frankes to the duke of Irelande as it hath ben shewed here before in this hystorie And his seconde doughter was or shulde be vicouÌ„tes of Rohan by reason of her husbaÌ„de The somme of the testament mounted to the soÌ„me of seuyntene hundred thousande frankes besyde his heritage Euery man that herde therof had great marueyle howe he shulde gather toguider suche richesse and specially the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne their counsayls had great marueyle therof and spake largely sayd What the deuyll howe maye it be that the constable hath gadered to guider so many floreyns and suche mouable goodes the kyng hym selfe hath nat so moche It maye well be beleued and knowen that he hath nat won all this by no iust meanes Thus the mater passed but suche as loued hym nat thought neuerthelesse Thus all suche as the kynge had written vnto prepared them selfe to go with hym in to Bretaygne This voiage pleased nothynge the duke of Burgoyn he sayd this was a warre without reason and that the conclusion ther of coulde take no good ende nor the realme of Fraunce nor the duchy of Bretayne nor the lordes knightes and squyers in theÌ„ had nothynge to do with the warre bytwene sir Olyuer of Clysson and sir Peter of Craon What nede they quod he to take payne or traueyle to make warre in their quarelles We shulde rather suffre them and their owne meÌ„ to greue and make warre eche vpon other The duke of Berrey was of the same opinyon but they coude nat be herde nor beleued for the kyng was couÌ„sayled contrary to their opinyons by suche as the kyng loued better than them These dukes coude nat tell howe to breke that enterprice and whan they sawe none other remedy they obeyed But that was slouthfully howe be it by the promocyon of the duke of Burgoyne the erle of Ostrenaunt was written vnto by the kynge to go with hym in this iourney with thre huÌ„dred speares The erle who loued dedes of armes prouyded hym to go with the kynge and whanÌ„e he was redy and had assembled toguyder his company to his great cost and charge Than he was countermaunded agayne and that in no wyse he shulde styrre ⸪ ¶ Howe the duke of Thourayn brother to the kyng resigned the duchy of Thourayne in to the kynges handes and howe by exchauÌ„ge the kynge gaue hym the duchy of OrlyauÌ„ce and so euer after he was called duke of Orlyaunce Cap. C.lxxxvii IN the same season that the kyng was thus nighe redy to departe out of Parys to shewe that he toke that busynesse as to hym selfe there was an exchauÌ„ge made of landes gretly to the profyte of the duke of Thourayne for he resygned in to the kynges handes the duchy of Thourayne and the kyng gaue hym the duchy of Orliaunce in lyke maner as auÌ„ciently duke Philyp of Orlyaunce helde it whiche was four tymes better in value than the other was so thus fro hens forthe in this hystorie I shall name hym that was duke of Thourayne duke of OrlyauÌ„ce ¶ Whan sir Olyuer of Clysson was all hole and that he might ryde the Frenche kyng was right ioyfull and said howe he wolde tary no lengar and so on an euenyng he toke his leaue of the quene Isabell his wyfe and of the newe duchesse of Orlyaunce and of all other ladyes and damoselles and so dyde the duke of OrlauÌ„ce in lykewise Than they departed and rode to supper to MoÌ„tague and the duke of Burbone the erle of Namure and the lorde of Coucy with hym There the kyng laye dyned there after dyner they departed and laye all night at saynt Germayns and there laye a seuyn dayes and as than the kyng was somwhat diseased and his phisicions wolde haue had hym to haue rested hym selfe but the kyng was so wyllyng in his iourney that he sayde howe he was moche better at his ease than he was in dede whiche he dyde to gyue corage to his men to set forwarde for as thaÌ„ his two vncles the dukes of Berrey Burgoyne were behynde shewed well by their maner that the same iourney greued them nor they wolde nat haue gone
determyned to sende to hym to knowe somwhat of his entent There was apoynted to go the lorde Boucyquant marshall of Fraunce the lorde Iohan of castell Morante and Iohan Barres of Barroys and they to haue with them a thousande speares Thus they rode forth tyll they came to the cytie of Agen and there taryed Than they sent harauldes and messnagers to Burdeaux to the duke of Lancastre shewynge hym howe they wolde gladly speke with hym The duke made these messangers good chere and wrote agayne to these lordes certifyeng them that where as they had great desyre to speke with hym in lykewyse he had the same to speke with them and bycause they shulde take the lesse payne he promysed to come and mete with them at Bergerate And whan the frenche lordes sawe this letter they gaue credence therto and ordred them there after and as sone as they knewe that the duke was come to Bergerate they departed fro Agen and rode thyder There they were receyued and lodged in the towne and their company in the subbarbes These lordes spake with the Duke and shewed hym their message The duke receyued them swetely and aunswered and sayd howe he wolde be a good a kynde neyghbour to the frenche kyng and the realme and to kepe and mayntayne the trewce taken bytwene the two kynges for he sayde he hym selfe was one of the princypalles that ayded to make and ordayn that truce wherfore he sayd he ought nat nor wold nat breke it therof they myght be well assured The dukes aunswere pleased greatly the lordes of Fraunce Thus the duke and they were louingly togyder and the duke gaue them a great dyner and supper and after they tooke their leaue and the duke retourned to Burdeaux and the frenche men in to Fraunce They founde in their waye the duke of Berrey at the cytie of Poyeters and they shewed hym what they had doone The duke of Berrey thought the duke of Lancasters answere reasonable and so dyd the frenche kynge and the duke of Burgoyne and so the mater abode styll in this estate And for this cause quod sir Iohan Graily the duke of Lancastre hath sent hyther in to Englande of his counsayle as syr Wylliam Peâ—reer and syr Peter Clyfton and two clerkes lerned in the lawe as mayster Iohan Huche and mayster Iohan Rychard of Leycettour to treate and to pleate his maters before the kynge and his vncles and for this cause the kynge rydeth to Eltham and shall be there on thursday nexte that shall be Mary maudelyn daye but what shal be done as yet I knowe nat But as I am enfourmed of some englysshe men that knowe somwhat the duke of Gloucestre wyll be princypally of the opynion that his brother the duke of Lancastre shulde abyde styll in Guyen rather than to retourue agayne in to Englande bycause he was so great with the kynge for I ensure you this duke of Gloucestre is a maruaylous mynded man proude and presumptuous he wolde rule all hym selfe and he is so beloued of the comynalte that what so euer he saythe they wyll enclyne to him He caused the valyaunte knyght the lorde Symon Burle and the duke of Irelande the archebysshoppe of yorke and many other knyghtes and other of the kynges counsayle to dye for hatred and yuell wyll durynge the seasone that the duke of Lancastre was beyonde the see in Castyle He is more dred in Englande than beloued NOwe lette this mater passe quod syr IohnÌ„ Graily and I shall shewe you nowe the seconde busynesse that the kynge hathe to do as I am enfourmed The kynges pleasure is to be remaryed and hath sertched ouer all for a wyfe if the duke of Burgoyne or the erle of Haynalte had any doughter to mary the kynge wolde gladly haue had one of them but they haue none but suche as be maryed It hath ben shewed the kyng that the kynge of Nauarre hath bothe suffers and doughters but he wyll nat entende that wayes The duke of Gloucestre hath a doughter able to mary he wolde gladly that the kyng shulde haue had her but the kynge wolde nat for he said she was to nere of his kynne for she is his cosyn germayne The kynge enclyneth moste his mynde to the Frenche kynges doughter wherof all the countrey hath great marueyle that he wolde take his enemyes doughter the kynge is nat the beste beloued Prince of the worlde with his people but he setteth lytell therby he sheweth always how he had rather haue warre with any other realme than with FrauÌ„ce wherfore he wolde haue a good peace bytwene the frenche kynge and hym and their realmes for the kynge wyll often tymes saye that the warre hath endured to longe bytwene them and that many valyaunt men are deed therby on bothe parties wherby the christen faythe is sore mynysshed and febled And it is nat pleasaunt to the realme of Englande that he shulde mary with Fraunce and it hath ben shewed hym that the doughter of Fraunce is ouer yonge and that this fyue or syxe yere she shall nat be able to kepe hym company Therto he hath aunswered and saythe that she shall growe ryght well in age and though he faste a season he shall take it well a worth and shall ordre her in the meane season at his pleasure and after the maner of Englande sayenge also howe he is yet yonge ynough to abyde tyll the lady be of age No man canne breke the kynge out of this purpose and or ye departe ye shall here moche of this matter And thus for these causes the kynge rydeth nowe to Eltham THus this gentle knyght syr Iohan of Graily and I deuysed togyther as we rode bytwene Rochestre and Dertforde this knight was capytayn of Bouteuyle bastarde sonne somtyme to the Captall of Beusz and I herde his wordes gladly and dyd put them in memory And all the way bytwene Leades and Eltham I rode most parte in his company and with syr Wylliam Lysle Thus the kynge came to Eltham on a tuesday and on the wednysday the lordes of all costes began to assemble Thyder came the duke of Gloucestre and the erles of Derby Arundell Northumberlande Kent Rutlande and the erle Marshall and the archebysshoppes of Caunterbury and yorke and the bysshoppes of London and Wynchester And on the thursday aboute the houre of thre they assembled togyther in the kynges chambre in the kynges presence Than the knyghtes of Gascoyne were sent for and the couÌ„saylours of the good townes And also the Duke of Lancastres counsayle was sent for I was nat preseÌ„t nor might nat be suffred there were none but the lordes of the counsayle who debated the mater more than four houres And after dyner I fell in acquayntauÌ„ce with an auncyent knyght whome I knewe in kynge Edwardes dayes and he was as than of kynge Rychardes priuy counsayle he was called syr Rycharde Sury he knewe me anone and yet in .xxiiii. yeres he had nat sene me before whiche was
the maner how the kyng our souerayne lorde hath this yere accomplysshed and furnysshed his voyage in Ireland put it in your memoriall to the entent that whan ye shall retourne in to your owne countrey ye may write it in your cronicle with many other hystories that depende to the same matter Than I thanked hym and sayd it shulde be done So I toke leaue of hym Than I mette with Marche the heraulde and I demauÌ„ded of hym what armes this Henry Christell bare and I shewed the heraulde howe this sir Henry had shewed me the maner of the kynges torney in Irelande and the state of the foure kynges who had ben as he sayd in his gouernyng more than fyftene dayes at Duuelyn The heraulde answered me and sayd Sir he beareth in his armes Syluer a cheuerne goules thre besans goules All these thyngê I dyde putte in writynge bycause I wolde nat forgette them THus I taryed in the kynge of Englandes courte as longe as it pleased me nat always in one place for the kynge often tymes remoued to Eltham to Ledes to Kyngstone to Shene to Charsey or to Wyndsore aboute the marchesse of London And I was enformed of a trouthe that the kyng wrote to his vncle the duke of Lancastre for they of Acquitayne spedde so in their busynesse that their countrey abode styll to the crowne of Englande ThanÌ„e it was concluded by generall counsayle of Englande that the gyfte that the kynge hadde gyuen to the duke of Lancastre must nedes abyde styll as his owne howe be it the duke of Gloucestre wolde that his brother myght haue enioyed the kynges gyfte but his saying coulde nat be herde in that case For they of the Realme of Englande bycause of doutes and casualtyes in tyme to come herde well the wordes of theym of Burdeaux and of Bayone And consydred well that yf the herytage of Acquitaygne were putte fro the Crowne of Englande it shulde be in tyme to come a great preiudice to the realme whiche they wolde in no wise shulde fortune for alwayes Burdeux Bayon and the froÌ„ters and marches of Gascon had kept augmented greatly the honour of the realme of Englande These thyngê were well coÌ„sydred of the wyse men of the kynges couÌ„sayle the duke of Gloucestre absent for before hym no man durst speke so the mater abode in this case ¶ We shall leaue of this matter and speke of the kynge of Englandes ambassadours as the erle of Rutlande and therle marshall and other that were sente in to Fraunce to treate of the maryage bytwene kynge Rycharde their lorde and the doughter of Charles Frenche kyng who was but eyght yeres of age and I shall shewe you howe they spedde ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the ambassade that the kynge of Englande sente in to Fraunce to treate of the maryage bytwene the lady Isable the FreÌ„che kynges eldest doughter and hym selfe and of the louyng answere they had Capi. CC.iii THese Englysshe lordes rode fro Calais to Amyence and to Clermount in Beauuosyn so to Parys and iÌ„ euery place they were well receyued by the coÌ„maundement of the frenche kyng They were lodged about that crosse of Tyrouer They were a fyue hundred horses The Frenche kynge was lodged at the castell of Lour and the quene and her chyldren at the house of saynt Poule vpon the ryuer of Seyne The duke of Berrey at the house of Nesle the duke of Burgoyne at the house of Arthoyse and the duke of Burbone in his owne house the duke of OrlyauÌ„ce the erle of saynt Poule and the lorde of Coucy at their owne houses The kynge had assembled there all his counsayle to the entent to make the better answere to thembassadours of Englande The kyng had coÌ„mauÌ„ded that euery day there shulde be delyuered to these ambassadours two huÌ„dred crownes of FraÌ„ce for their small expences and for their horses And the chiefe of these Englysshe lordes as the erle Marshall and therle of RutlaÌ„de were often tymes with the kynge and dyned with hym they had as good there as coulde be deuysed for the loue of the kynge of EnglaÌ„de These lordes desyred euer to haue an answere they were euer fedde forthe with fayre wordes For the noble men of Fraunce had great marueyle of the requestes of the Englysshe men And that the kynge of Englande wolde marry with Fraunce seynge that the warre had ben so cruell and so long endured And some of the Frenche kynges counsayle sayd howe maye our kyng agree to gyue his doughter in maryage to his aduersary or this treatie shulde be made We thynke we shall haue peace with Englande by some other wayes though it be nat by the meanes of maryage And as at that tyme there was a valyaunt knyght of the Frenche kynges counsayle called sir Raynalt of Corby He was a farre castyng man and consydred what myght fall in tyme to come ThanÌ„e he sayd to the kyng and to his vncles My lordes and maysters A man shulde entre in at the ryght dore in to a house It semeth that kyng Richarde of EnglaÌ„de wolde nothyng to you nor to the realme but loue and all fauour seynge that by reason of maryage he wolde alye hym to you Two tymes your counsaylours and his haue mette toguyder at Amyence and at Balyngham to treate for a peace yet they coulde neuer take no good conclusyon but on the state of a truce And sir it is well knowen that Thomas duke of Gloucestre kyng Richardes vncle is of a coÌ„trary opinyon against the king and his other two vncles the dukes of LaÌ„castre of yorke The kyng nor other can nat make hym agre wyllingly to haue peace howe be it his puissaunce canne natte resyst the kynges power Therfore sir after myne opynyon receyue this offre and refuce nat this treatie and let these lordes haue suche aunswere as maye coÌ„tent them Than the kyng and his vncles agreed therto and specially the duke of Burgoyne for he was so sore charged by reason of the warres that gladly he wolde haue peace and the priÌ„cypall cause was bycause of FlauÌ„ders wherof he claymed to be lorde by reason of his wyfe bycause that countrey marched vpon Englande And also the hertes of the Flemynges were rather Englysshe than Frenche bycause of the entrecourse of marchaundyse bytwene England Flaunders by See and by lande THan it was concluded by the Frenche kynges counsayle that there shulde be as good there made to the Englysshmen as was before And whether it was by dissymulacyon or otherwyse the frenche men were determyned to make a good and a swere aunswere to the englisshe men and to put them in hope that the kynge of Englande shulde haue his desyre The quene and her chyldren laye at the house of faynt Powleê and where as the Englysshe lordes desyred to se theym it was graunted to them and specyally to se her for whome their treatie was than it was shewed them that they muste be content howe so
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
the courage of dyuers and also the oppynyon of them of the .iii. chefe cytees of this royalme besyde vs as Connymbres Porte and Eure then the kyng sayd let it be as ye wyl I am content ye know well that this lady Elyanoure who is called quene of this royalme is as yet here in this cyte and her counsaylloure with her syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Audere who wyll kepe the crowne of Portyngale and the herytage therof for the quene of Castell for he made fyrst the maryage to make peas bytwene Castell and Portyngale peraduenture the kynge of Castell wyll sende for hym hastely to helpe to subdue his rebelles Wherfore nowe at the obsequye of my broder whiche shal be shortely wherat most parte of the nobles of this royalme and Cytees wyl be it were good to prouyde for remedy in that behalfe then they that were presente sayd syr that ye saye is true we shall prouyde therfore as we shall here syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant speke and so as then theyr counsayle ended IT was not longe after but that the obsequye was kepte at Lyxbone in the freers where as kynge Ferrant lyeth and there were many of the nobles of Portyngale for they were desyred so to be by the quene and by syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Audere who gouerned the quene there was the kynge that nowe is with a grete nombre of the comons of the countrey and specyally of the thre cytees Connymbres Eure and the porte of Portyngale for they all agreed and consented to them of Lyxbone And when the obyte was done syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Audere desyred in the quenes name the nobles that were there presente that they sholde not departe thens that daye nor the nexte saynge howe the quene wolde haue theyr counsayles what sholde be done to sende in to Castel for kyng IohnÌ„ and his wyfe the lady Beautryce theyr lady who was herytoure by ryght to the royalme of Portyngale all the nobles or a grete parte of them that herde his wordes made lytel ther of for they doubted sore the comons that were there essembled for they had herde dyuers of them murmure saynge how they wolde crowne to be theyr kynge mayster Denyce Also syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Audere had herde lyke wordes Therfore he desyred the nobles of the royalme to abyde there with hym to ayde and susteyne his opynyon but they fayled hym for as sone as the kynges obyte was done in the foresayd freers and that quene Elyanour was retourned to her lodgyng then euery man cryed to horse and so al or the moost parte mounted on theyr horses so departed fro Lyxbone some taryed ftyll suche as were on the kynges partye that nowe is and they wente to theyr lodgynges and kepte themselfe pryuely and dyssymuled the matter for they well ymagyned the matter to fall as it fell as I shall shewe you howe when the kynges obyte was done the comons of Lyxbone and of the other thre cytees suche as were there retourned not shortely to theyr lodgynges but wente to the cathedral chyrche of Lyxbone called saynt Domynycke and there they assembled and mayster Denyce with them there they had grete counsayle togyder Whiche counsayle endured not longe For the kynge that nowe is sayd vnto them ¶ All ye good people I vnderstande ye wolde make me your kynge And surely I saye it is my ryght And yf ye wyll perceyuer in that purpose it is tyme to sette a worke and to shewe your dede and â—uyssaunce for ye knowe ryght well that syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Audere dothe procure the nobles of the royalme to sende for the kynge of Castell and he sayth and maynteyneth that the crowne of Portyngale perteyneth to the kynge of Castel by the ryght of my cosyne his wyfe and I saye yf ye wyll ayde me it is my ryght rather then hers ye knowe all the maner for I am a man broder to kynge FerraÌ„t and sone to good kynge Peter of Portyngale who gouerned you valyauntly True it is my cosyne the quene of Castell was doughter to kynge Ferrant but that was not by lawfull maryage Then they of Lyxbone sayd vnto hym Syr all this is true we wyll haue none other kynge but you and we wyll make you our kynge loke theron who wyll but ye shall swere vnto vs that ye shall be good to vs and kepe Iustyce and ye shall not flatter no more with the grete lordes then with the small people and ye shall kepe and susteyne with good herte with the ayde that we shall gyue you all the ryght perteynynge to Portyngale Then the kynge answered and sayd Syrs all this I swere but pryncypally I requyre you to go with me to the lodgynge called the Monnoy where syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Audere is with Elyanoure of Coygne for I wyll that he be slayne for he hath deserued it agaynst me and agaynste you when he susteyneth and maynteyneth other quarelles agaynst your wylles tâ—enne they all with one voyce answered We wyll that this be done for surely he is disobeysaunt and a rebell agaynst you Wherfore lette hym be put to dethe and all the other that be rebellyons agaynst you Wherby other of the royalme shall take ensample Then they departed togyder from the mynstre of saynt Domynycke to the nombre of .xv. C. all of one oppynyon and the kynge that nowe is with them and soo they wente thrughe the towne to the lodgynge called the Monnoy where the quene and syr IohnÌ„ Ferrant Audere were And when they came there they brake vp the gates of the lodgynge and entred therin perforce and they wente in to the chambre where as the quene was Who was ryght sore afrayde wheÌ„ she sawe so moche people comynge vpon her then incontynent she fell downe on her knees before this mayster Denyce and prayed hym to haue pyte and compassyon vpon her saynge vnto hym that she knewe nothynge of ony dyspleasure that she hadde done agaynst hym or agaynst ony other And also she sayd vnto hym howe that as touchynge the crowne and herytage of Portyngale she claymed no parte But mayster Denyce I requyre you and all the people here present to consydre how kynge Ferrant made me quene agaynst my wyl then this mayster Denyce sayd Fayre lady doubte ye nothynge for ye shall haue no hurte for we be not come therfore but for this traytoure IohnÌ„ Ferrant Audere he shall dye to begyn withall and then lette the kynge of Castell reuenge his deth yf he can he hath ben to longe his proctoure in this countrey with that worde auaunced forth suche as was ordeyned ther to who toke the knyght and put hym to dethe more hurte they dyd not to no persone but so retourned to theyr lodgynge and the kynge that nowe is wente to his ANd after the dethe of IohnÌ„ Ferrant the lady Elyanoure who had ben quene of Portyngale toke counsayle and determyned herselfe to go out of Portyngale in to Castell to the kynge there and to
was as foloweth CHarles by the grace of god kynge of Fraunce we sende and coÌ„mende vs to the ryght reuerende bysshoppe of Noyon and to our knight and chambrelayne the lorde de la Ryuer We wyll that ye suffre the vycount of Chastellon enherytour of Foiz and of Bierne to enioy possede his heritage of the countie of Foiz with the purtenauÌ„ces so that ye take in to your possessyon the soÌ„me of .lx. thousande frankes at one payment and the money payed than our seneschall of Tholouse to make a sure quytaunce of the recryte therof Also at a nother paymente I wyll ye receyue twenty thousande frankes for your costes and charges in goynge and retournyng and that money payed than make quytaunce therof vnder the seale of offyre of Tholouse Also we wyll that syr yuan and syr Gracyen of Foiz bastarde sonnes to the erle Gascon of Foiz haue parte and ceasonable assignement bothe in landes and goodes of that was their fathers by the aduyse and dyscrecyon of syr Roger of Spayne and of the vicount of Bruny quell syr Raynolde of Newcastell and the lorde of Corase to whome we shall write that they maye so aquyte them to dyscharge our conscyence for we made suche promyse to the erle their father And if there be any faute in these four lordes or any rebellyon in the Vycount than we disanull all this sayde treatie and wyll that it stande as boyde In wytnesse her of to these letters we haue sette to our seale in out cytie of Towrs the .xxii. yere of oure teygne the twenty day of the moneth of Decembre THese letters made and sealed and delyuered the knyghtes of Foiz retourned fro Towrs their leaue taken This season syr Loys of Sanxere marshall of Fraunce lay in the marches of Carcassone as soueraygne gouernour there instytuted by the kynge The bysshoppe of Noyon and the Lorde de la Ryuer sent for hym to Tholouse and whan he was come thyder they sayde to hym Syr marshall the vycount of Chastellon reputeth hym selfe to be enherytour of the country of Foiz and we haue sent in to FrauÌ„ce to the kynge to knowe what he and his counsayle wyll saye in that mater wherfore be ye redy with menne of armes on the fronters of Foiz and as soone as syr Roger of Spayne and syr Espayne be returned or that we haue other message fro the Kynge that they agree nat on any peace and that the king wyll haue the lande of Foiz than entre you incontynent and take possessyon acordynge to the right and puyssaunce that the kynge hathe gyuen vs in that quarell Thus the marshall was redy prouyded and euery day loked for aunswere fro the kynge ¶ Nowe we wyll leaue speakyng of this mater and shewe somwhat of the duke of Bretayne YE haue herde here before what treatie was at Towrs in Thourayn bytwene the frenche kyng and the duke of Bretaygne the whiche duke dyde put the kynge and his counsayle to moche payne for he wolde fall to no reason It was sayde the kynge demaunded of hym and he refused In lykewyse he demaunded and the kynge refused Moche treatie there was but no conclusion taken The duke he was redy to serue the kynge and to do hym homage as farre forthe as he was bounde to do Thanne the kynges counsayle sayd to hym Sythe ye knowledge yourselfe to be the kinges liegman why wyll ye nat than obey to reason Why syrs quod he wherin am I rebell Than they layde to him dyuers poyntes Fyrste in the beleuynge on the pope at Auygnon whome they sayde the kynge toke for the trewe pope ye dyffer ther fro and dyssymule the mater for ye wyll obey none of his coÌ„maundementes but gyue all the benefyces your selfe in Bretaygne and suche as brynge any bulles fro the pope ye wyll nat knowe theym this is agaynste the magesty royall and great synne to your coÌ„scyence and soule Than the duke aunswered and sayde As for my conscyence there is no man ought to speke therof nor iudge it but all onely god who is soueraygne iudge in all suche causes and sythâ— ye argue and appose me in that maner â–ª I shall aunswere you As for these popes who are indyfferent there is no sure declaration made of them and the season that the first tydynges came of the chosynge of pope Vrbayne I was in the towne of Gaunt with my cosyn the erle of Flaunders and there he receyued letters sealed with the popes seale as than called Robert of Quesne cardynall and in his letter he certifyed to the erle my cosyn that by the grace of god and by the deuyne in spyratyon he was chosen pope and hadde to name Vrbayne Howe than canne this be vndone agayne me thynke it were harde to do I wyll nat argue agaynst the kinges maieste for I am his cosyn and lyege man and shall well and trewly serue hym whan so euer I be requyred as farre forthe as I am bounde to do but I wyll speke agaynst them that counsayle nat the kynge well Why syr quod they shewe vs who they be that do nat counsayle the kynge as they ought to do and we shall fynde remedy for them Syrs â— he ye knowe them better than I do for ye company with them oftener than I do but as touchynge the benefyces of my countrey I am nat so haute nor so cruell agaynst suche as desyre them but that I suffre the clerkes of my countrey to enâ—oy them by the bulles of pope Clement but suche cerkes as be nat of the same countrey I refuse them and the cause why I shall shewe you They wolde beare away the rychesse of my countrey out therof and deserue it nat whiche is agaynst ryght and consyence wher fore I can nat agree therto And where as ye saye that I am rebell and 〈◊〉 to agaynst the kynges offycers whanne they come in to my couÌ„trey that is nat so nor wyll nat be ye ought to knowe and if ye do nat lerne it the fee of the â—uchy of Bretayne is of so noble a condycion that soueraygnely there ought none to enterprise any mater there but alonely their owne naturall lorde that is to say the duke of Bretayne holdeth his court open to here all ryghtes and his offycers to execute all ryghtes in the lande of Bretaygne and to do acordynge to their offyce And if I haue any offycer that dothe contrary to ryght that outher straunger or other haue cause to complayne I punysshe them and shall do that other shall take ensample by them more ouer I say that some of the kynges counsayle do so that they ought to be reproued for they do as moche as they maye do to norysshe warre and hatred bytwene the kyng and me the cause why is clere ynough they suffre my cosyn IohnÌ„ of Bloys to do two thynges agaynst me vnreasonable The fyrste is he writeth hym selfe Iohan of Bretayne by reason of that name it semeth he entendeth to