dyscontent but he was displeased in that the knyghtê and squyers of Bierne helde Lourde agaynst hym The erle of Foyz as I haue shewed you here before doughted greatly the duke of Aniowe thoughe the duke dyde hym no hurte But the erle of Arminake and the lorde Dalbret wolde haue had the Duke to haue made hym warre but the duke had no wyll there to But whyle he lodged bytwene Mounte Marsen and the Boce Dalbret he sent to the erle to Ortaise sir Peter of Beule whom the erle receyued honorably and lodged hym in the castell of Ortaise and made hym as good chere as he coude and gaue hym mulettes and coursers to his men great gyftes And he sente by hym to the duke of Aniowe foure coursers and two Allans of Spaygne fayre and good And there were secrete treaties bytwene the erle and this sir Peter of Beule of whiche treaties no man knewe the entent therof of a good space after But after by suche euydent tokens as appered we supposed somewhat and the mater I shall shewe you and by that tyme we shall come to Tarbe ANone after that the duke of Aniou had made his voyage and that he was at Tholous Than the erle of Foiz sende by his letters certayne messangers to Lourde to his cosyn sir Peter Erualton of Bierne desyring hym to come and speke with hym at Ortayse And whan the knyght had reed therles letters and sawe his notable message he had dyuers ymaginacions and wyst nat wheder he might go or abyde All thynges consydred he sayd he wolde go bycause in no wyse he wolde displease the erle And whan he departed fro Lourde he sayd to Iohan of Bierne his brother in the presens of all the companyons of the garyson Brother Iohan the erle of Foyz hath sente for me I can nat tell you why But sythe it is his pleasure to speke with me I wyll go to hym I feare me greatly that I shal be requyred to gyue vp this fortresse of Lourde For the duke of Aniou whan he was in the countrey he costed Bierne and entred nat therin And the erle of Foyz hath longe entended to haue the castell of Maluoysin to the entent to be lorde of the lanede Bourge and of the fronters of Comynges and of Bigore I knowe nat what treatie ther is made bytwene hym and the duke of Aniou But one thynge I saye playnly as longe as I lyue I shall neuer yelde vp the garyson but to myne owne naturall lorde the kyng of EnglaÌ„de Wherfore brother Iohan in case that I stablysshe you in myne absence to be Capitayne here that ye shall swere to me by the faythe of your gentylnesse that ye shall kepe this castell in lyke maner and fourme as I do and that for lyfe or dethe ye fayle nat And Iohan of byerne sware to fulfyll his desyre Than sir Peter Erualton wente to Ortayse and a lyghted at the signe of the Moone And whan he thought it was tyme he wente to the castell of Ortayse to therle who with great ioye receyued hym and made hym syt at his borde and shewed him as great semblant of loue as he coude And after dyner he said Cosyn Peter I haue to speke with you of dyuers thyngê wherfore I wyll that ye departe nat without my leaue The knight an swered and sayd sir I shall nat departe tyll it be your pleasur Than the thirde day after the erle of Foiz said vnto hym in the presens of the vycount of Gousserant his brother and before the lorde DaÌ„chyn of Bigore and dyuers other knightes and squyers The erle sayd a loude that euery man might here hym Peter I sende for you and ye become I wyll ye knowe the duke of Aniou wolde me moche yuell bycause of the garison of Lourde whiche ye kepe for the whiche cause my lande was nere haÌ„de ouerron and good frendes had nat been And it is his opynion and dyuers other of his company that he hateth me bicause as they say howe I maynteyne sustayne yon bycause ye be of Byerne And it is nat mete for me to haue the yuell wyll of so great a prince as the duke of Aniowe is Wherfore I coÌ„maunde you as ye wyll eschewe my displeasure and by the faythe and lignage that ye owe to me that ye yelde vp the garyson of Lourde in to my handes Whan the knyght herde these wordes he was sore abasshed studyed a lytell remembringe what aunswere he might make for he sawe well the Erle spake in good faithe Howe be it all thynges consydred he sayd Sir true it is I owne to you faythe homage for I am a poore knyght of yoâ— blode and of your countrey But as for the castell of Lourde I wyll nat delyuer it to you ye haue sent for me do with me as ye lyst I holde it of the kyng of Englande he sette me there and to none other lyueng wyll I delyuer it Whan the erle of Foyz herde that answere his blode chafed for yre and sayd drawyng out his daggar A treatour sayest thou nay By my heed thou hast nat sayd that for nought and so therwith strake the knight that he wounded hym in fyue places and there was no knyght nor barone that durst steppe bytwene them Than the knyght sayd Ah sit ye do me no gentylnesse to sende for me and slee me And yet for all the strokes that he had with the daggar therle coÌ„mauÌ„ded to cast him in prison downe in to a depe dyke so he was and ther dyed for his woundê were but yuell loked vnto Ah saynt Mary quod I to the knyght Was nat this a great crueltie Whatsoeuer it was ê™ the knyght thus it was Lette one aduyse hym well or he displease him for and he be angry there is no pardon He helde ones his cosyn germayne the vicouÌ„t of Chateau Bein who is his heryter eight monethes in the towre of Ortaise in prison and after rauÌ„somed him at fourtie thousande frankes Why sir quod I hath the erle of Foyz no chyldren No truely sir quod he by any wyfe but he hath two yonge knightes that be his bastardes whom ye shall se and he loueth them as well as hym selfe they be called sir Iohan and sir Gracyen Than I demaunded yf euer he were maryed yea truely quod he and is yet but his wyfe is nat with hym Why sir wher is she Sir quod he she is in Nauar for the kyng there is her cosyn she was doughter to kynge Loyes of Nauar yet than I demaunded if euer the erle had any chyldren yes sir ê™ he he had a fayre sonne who had the fathers harte and all the countrey loued hym for by hym all the countre of Biern was in rest and peace where as it hath ben sith in debate and stryfe for he had maryed the suster of therle of Armynake Sir quod I what became of that sonne and it maye be knowen Sir ê™ he I shall shewe
of Burbone and payed at his ease to the king of Nauar the soÌ„me of fyftie thousande frankes for his raunsome For the whiche soÌ„me the kyng was bouÌ„de to therle of Foiz but he wolde nat sende it to the erle Than the erle of Foiz sayd to his wyfe Dame ye must go in to Nauarre to the kynge youre brother and shewe hym howe I am nat well content with hym that he wyll nat sende me that he hath receyued of myne the lady answered howe she was redy to go at his coÌ„mauÌ„dement And so she departed and rode to Panpylone to the kynge her brother who receyued her with moche ioye the lady dyd her message fro poynt to poynt Than the kyng answered fayre suster the soÌ„me of money is yours therle shulde gyue it for your dowre it shall neuer go out of the realme of Nauarr sithe I haue it in possessyon Ah sir quod the lady by this ye shall sette great hate bytwene therle my husbande you if ye holde your purpose I dare nat retoure agayne in to the countie of Foiz for my husbande wyll slee me he wyll saye I haue disceyued him I can nat tell quod the kyng what ye wyll do outher tarye or deê‘te but as for the money I wyll nat departe fro it it parteyneth to me to kepe it for you but it shal neuer go out of Nauer the countesse coude haue none other answere of the kyng her brother And so she taryed styll in Nauar and durst nat retourne agayne The erle of Foiz whan he sawe the dealynge of the kynge of Nauar he began to hate his wyfe and was yuell content with her howe be it she was in no faute but that she returned nat agayne whan she hadde done her message but she durst nat for she knewe well therle her husbaÌ„de was cruell where he toke displeasure Thus the mater standeth The erles sonne called Gascone grewe and waxed goodly was maryed to the doughter of therle of Armynake a fayre lady suster to therle that nowe is The lorde Bertrande of Armynake and by the contuÌ„ctyon of that maryage ther shulde haue ben peace bytwene Foiz Armynake The chylde was a fyftene or sixtene yere of age and resembled rightwell to his father On a tyme he desyred to go into Nauar to se his mother and his vncle the kynge of Nauarr whiche was in anyuell hour for hym for all this countre Whan he was come in to Nauarre he had there good there and taryed with his mother a certayne space and than toke his leaue but for all that he coude do he coude nat gette his mother out of Nauer to haue gone with hym in to Foiz for she demannded if the erle had coÌ„maunded hym so to do or no and he answered that whan he departed therle spake nothyng therof Therfore the lady durst nat go thider but so taryed styll Than the chylde wente to Panpylone to take his leaue of the kyng his vncle The kyng made hym great chere and taryed hym there a ten dayes and gaue to him great giftes and to his men also the last gyfte that the kyng gaue hym was his dethe I shall shewe you howe Whan this geÌ„tylman shulde depte the kyng drewe hym a parte in to his chambre and gaue hym a lytell purse full of poudre which poudre was suche that if any creature lyueng dyd ete therof he shulde incoÌ„tynent dye without remedye Than the kynge sayd Gascone fayre nephue ye shall do as I shall shewe to you ye se howe the erle of Foiz your father wrongfully hath your mother my suster in gret hate wher of I am sore displeased and so ought ye to be Howe be it to performe all the mater and that your father shulde loue agayne your mother to that entent ye shall take a lytell of this powder and put it on some meate that your father maye eate it but beware that no man se you as soone as he hath eaten it he shall entende to nothynge but to haue agayne his wyfe and so to loue her euer after whiche ye ought greatly to desyre And of this that I shewe you let no man knowe but kepe it secrete or els ye lese all the dede The chylde who thought all that the kyng sayd to hym had ben true sayde Sir it shal be done as ye haue deuysed and so departed fro Panpylone and retourned to Ortayse the erle his father made hym good chere demaunded tidynges of the kyng of Nauar and what gyftes he had gyuen him And the chylde shewed hym howe he had gyuen hym dyuers and shewed hym all excepte the purse with the pouder Ofte tymes this yong Gascone yuan his bastarde brother laye toguyder for they loued toguyder lyke bretherne and were lyke arrayed and apparelled for they were nere of a greatnesse and of one age And it happened on a tyme as their clothes laye toguyder on their beddes yuan sawe a purse at Gascons cote sayd What thyng is this that ye beare euer about you Wherof Gascoyne had no ioye and sayd yuan gyue me my cote ye haue nothyng to do therwith and all that day after Gascone was pensyue And it fortuned a thre dayes after as god wolde that the erle shulde be saued Gascone and his brother yuan fell out toguyder playeng at tennes and Gascone gaue hym a blowe and the chylde wente in to his fathers chambre and wepte and the erle as than hadde herde masse And whan the erle sawe him wepe he said Sonne yuan What aylest thou Sir quod he Gascone hath beaten me but he were more worthy to be beaten than I. Why so quod therle and incontynent suspected some thyng By my faithe sir ê™ he sithe he retourned out of Nauar he beareth priuely at his brest a purse full of pouder I wote nat what it is nor what he wyll do therwith But he hath sayde to me ones or twyse that my lady his mother shulde shortely be agayne in your grace and better be loued than euer she was Peace quod the erle and speke no more and shewe this to no man lyuenge Sir quod he no more I shall Than the erle entred in to ymaginacyonâ— and so came to the houre of his dyner and wasshed and sat downe at his table in the hall Gascone his son was vsed to sette downe all his seruyce and to gyue the sayes And whan he had sette downe the first course the erle cast his eyen on hym sawe the strynges of the purse hangyng at his bosome Than his blode chauÌ„ged said Gascone coÌ„e byder I wyll speke with the in thyne eare The chylde came to him and the erle toke hym by the bosome and founde out the purse with his knyfe cut it fro his bosome the chylde was abasshed stode styll and spake no worde and loked as pale as asshes for feare began to trymble The erle of Foiz opyned the purse and toke of the pouder and
father loued hym entierly Than he tooke his horse and tooke the kaye and rode to the castell of Orâ—hayes And all that season sir Ienbayne was sertchynge all aboute for they kayes and coulde nat fynde theÌ„ nor wyst nat howe to get the towre dore opyn it was so stronge nor also he hadde no instrumentes to breke it opyn with all And in this meane season the men of the towne hadde soone knowledge by varlettes or women that came to the hospytall howe therle shulde be deed These were harde tidynges to them for the erle was welbeloued withall his people They of the towne assembled to guyder in the markette place and sayde one to another suche as hadde sene sir Ienbayn passe through the towne alone We haue sene sir Ienbayne passe through the towne alone towardes the castell it semed by his councynaunce he was nat content Surely there is some thyng a mysse sor he was nat wonte to coÌ„e home before his father Thus as they were coÌ„munynge toguyder there came in to the towne the Erles chapelayne ThanÌ„e the men of the towne came aboute hym and demauÌ„ded newes of therle their lorde It hath been shewed vs that he is deed Is it so or nat Nay quod the preest he is not deed but he is sore sicke and I am come home before to cause thynges to be dressed for hym and than I muste retourne agayne to hym And so therwith he passed forth to the castell and dyde so moche that he entred of whose commyng sir yuan had great ioye For without the kaye that he brought he coulde nat haue entred in to the Towre where as the treasour was Than the men of the towne hadde great suspecte of the Erles dethe and sayde It is nere hande nyght and as yet we here nothynge of our lorde nor of none of his offycers and sir yuan and his chapelayne are entred in to the castell suspeciously Let vs watche the castell this night and to morowe we shall here other tidynges Lette vs sende secretely to the hospitall than shall we knowe howe the mater gothe Also we knowe well the moost parte of the erles treasour is with in the Castell and if it be stollen awaye by crafte we shal be blamed for it Ignoraunce shall nat excuse vs. They all thought it was best for them so to do ThanÌ„e the men of the towne drewe about the castell and kepte the gates of the towne surely that none shulde entre nor issue without lycence Thus they watched all nyght and in the mornyng they had parfyte knowledge of the dethe of their lorde Than euery man woman and chylde cryed out and wepte pituously for the Erle was welbeloued Than the watchmen doubled and encreased in harnesse aboute the castell WHan sir yuan of Foize sawe the maner of the men of the towne and sawe well howe he was ê‘ceyued and that they knewe the certayntie of the dethe of his father Than he sayde to sir Nycholas Sir I haue fayled of myne enteÌ„t I se well I can nat departe hens without lycence The men of the towne haue knowledge of my fathers dethe and they assemble in great nombre before the castell It behoueth me to humble my selfe to them for force can nat aueyle me sir ye saye trouthe quod the preest ye shall wyn more by swete and fayre word than by rude and frowarde dealynge Go your waye and speke with them Than sir yuan went in to a towre nere to the gate opyned a wyndowe ouer the bridge in the whiche towre he was brought vp in tyll he maryed the lady Iane of Boloyne who afterwarde was duchesse of Berrey as ye shall here after in this hystorie Sir yuan opyned the wyndowe and spake to them that were the princypals of the towne who caÌ„e on the bridge nere to the windowe to here what he wolde saye Than he spake a loude and sayde O ye good people of Orthays I knowe well the cause of your asseÌ„bly it is nat wtout a great occasion how be it I requyre you as derely as ye loued my lorde father that ye be nat displeased with me thoughe I haue aduaunsed my selfe to entre in to this castell first or any other shude entre and to take possession therof and of suche goodes as be within it for I wyll do nothyng but good ye knowe well my lorde my father loued me as well and entierly as his owne sonne and wolde fayne haue fouÌ„de the wayes to haue made me his enherytour And nowe it hath pleased god to call hym to his mercy without accomplysshyng of any thynge of myne aduauncement And nowe he hath lefte me amonge you where I haue been brought vp and lefte nowe as a poore knyght bastarde sonne to the erle of Foize without I haue your ayde and helpe Wherfore sirs I requyre you in goddes behalfe to haue pytie on me wherin ye shall do great almesse And I shall open the castell and suffre you to entre I wyll nat kepe it agaynst you Than they aunswered and sayde Sir yuan ye haue spoken so nobly that it ought to suffyce And sir we saye that we wyll abide with you and our entent is to kepe this castell and goodes with you And if the Vicount of Chastellon your cosyn who is next enherytoure to this countrey of Byerne as nexte parente to your father come hyder to challenge his herytage and mouables or he haue it he shall knowe well howe we shall defende you and your right fro hym and fro your brother sir Gracyen But we suppose that whanÌ„e the Frenche kynge was laste at Tholous and my lorde youre Father with hym that some order was takenne as touchyng your fathers enherytaunce And this can sir Roger of Spaygne your cosyn tell no man better than he We shall write to him and shewe hym of the dethe of the erle your father and desyre hym to come hyder to helpe and counsayle vs in all thynges concernynge the landes of Bierne and of Foiz and also for the mouables and for thentierment of my lorde youre father And this we promyse you faythfully to vpholde With this aunswere sir yuan was well contente And thanne opyned the gate of the Castell of Orthayes and suche entred as wolde And the same daye the Erles body was brought thyder At the metyng of the corse men and women wepte pituously in the remembraunce of his noblenesse and puyssaunt estate His wytte and prudence his Prowesse and largesse and the great prosperyte that he lyued in For there was nouther Frenche nor Englysshe that durste dysplease hym Moost parte of the people sayd Nowe our neyghbours wyll make vs war where as we were wonte to lyue in peace and fredome Nowe shall we be in bondage in misery and subiectyon Nowe there is none to ayde vs. AH Gascone Gascone fayre sonÌ„e Why dyde ye euer so dysplease your father that it coste you your lyfe If ye had ben lefte with vs it shulde nowe haue
swete and amyable letters to the freÌ„che king by a notable ambassade a bysshop and .ii. knightes of Hungry In the same letters was coÌ„teyned a great parte of the state and doyng of the great turke and how that he had sent worde to the kynge of Hungry that he wolde come and fight with hym in the myddes of his realme and wolde go fro thens to the cytie of Rome and wolde make his horse to eare otes vpon the high auter of saynt Peter and there to holde his see imperyall and wolde bringe the emperour of Constantyne the noble in his coÌ„pany and all the great barons of the realme of Grece and eche of theÌ„ to kepe styll their owne lawe for he desyred nothynge but the tytell and signorie Thus the kyng of HuÌ„gry in his letters prayed the Frenche kyng to entende to ayde and socour him and that this businesse in farre couÌ„treis might he publisshed abrode to th entent that all knightes and squyers myght prouyde to come in to Hungry to resyst agaynst Lamorabaquy the great turke to th entent that Christendome shulde nat be violated by him and that his pride and bost myght be abated In these letters were conteygned many wordes of great loue as kynges cosyns write eche to other in case of necessyte And they were sente by suffycient personages who dyde so moche that the Frenche kynge enclyned his hert therto and was the gladder to sette forwarde the treatie of the mariage of his doughter to the kynge of Englande Than anone these newes of Hungry were publysshed abrode and written in to many countreis to moue the hertes of gentylmen knightes and squiers suche as wolde auaunce them to get honour The same season that these newes were brought to the kyng there was at Parys the duke of Burgoyne and the duchesse and Iohan of Burgoyne their sonne heyre erle of Neuers who as than was no knyght and the lorde Guye of Tremoyle the lorde Wyllyam his brother and many lordes and other of the realme of Fraunce Than the duke of Burgoyne enclyned sore to this viage and specially that his sonÌ„e shulde enterprice the sayd voyage so he myght be chefe heed leader of the army that shulde go in that viage This Iohan of Burgoyne was but a yonge man of the age of .xxii. yeres Wyse curtesse tretable humble and welbeloued of knyghtes and squyers of Burgone and of other nacyons suche as knewe hym He had to wyfe the doughter of duke Aubert of Bauier erle of Heynalte Hollande and zelaÌ„de a good lady wyse and deuout and had two chyldren full lykely to come to great maryages One shewed this Iohan of Burgoyne howe the Frenche kyng wolde sende hym in this voyage in to Hungry to se what he wolde saye Than he sayd if it pleace the kynge and the duke my father to sende me as chiefe of this armye it shall please me ryght well for I haue great desyre to auaunce my selfe well sir quod they ye were best to speke with the duke youre father that he maye speke to the kynge for without his good wyll ye can do nothynge IT was nat long after but that this Iohan of Burgoyne spake to his father prayeng hym humbly to consent that he myght go in this voyage in to Hungry and at the same tyme there was by hym sir Guye and sir Wyllyam of Tremoyle and other they said to the duke Sir this request that your sonne maketh is but resonable for it is tyme he take the order of knighthode and more nobly he can nat take it than in goyng the iourney agaynst the enemyes of holy Churche And it the kynge wyll sende any personage in that voyage he can nat sende a more honorable man thanÌ„e his owne cosyn germayne your sonne and ye shall se many knyghtes go with hym as well for their owne auauÌ„cementes as for your loue Than the duke said well so be it I shall nat lette the good wyll of my sonne I shall speke to the kyng therin and shall se what answere he wyll make And anone after the duke spake to the kynge therin and the kynge incontynent enclyned therto and sayd howe it shulde be well done that he went and we wyll that he shall go and we wyll make hym as chefe of that iourney Than the tidyngê was shewed throughe all Parys and without that Iohan of Burgoyne with a great company of knyghtes shulde go in to Hungry to se the puyssaunce of the great Turke and that iourney atchyued thanne the Christen men to go to ConstaÌ„tyne the noble and to passe ouer the arme or saynt George and so to entre in to Surrey and to delyuer Hierusalem out of the panyms handes Than awaked suche knyghtes and squyers as desyred aduauncement Whan the duke of Burgoyne sawe that his sonne shulde go in this voyage and that he shulde be chiefe of the army he honored than the more the ambassadours of Hungry who whan they sawe the kynges good wyll the dukes the Frenchmens they were gladde and toke their leaue of the kynge and of the other lordes of Fraunce and so retourned to their countrey and made relacyon to the kyng of Hungry howe they had spedde wherwith the kynge was greatly reioysed and made great prouisyon agaynst the coÌ„mynge of the Frenche men and sent these ambassadours to his brother the kyng of Almaigne to open his passages and also to his cosyn the duke of Austriche for throughe the straytes of Austryche he muste nedes passe And by all the wayes he caused great prouisyon of vitayle to be ordayned And also he wrote letters to the great mayster of Pruce and to the Rhodes Certifyeng them of the coÌ„myng of Iohan of Burgoyne with a thousande knyghtes and squiers of valyant men to the entent to entre in to Turkey and to resyst the great bost of kyng Basant called the great turke IN this season the lorde Coucy was come to Parys and was but newlye retourned fro a voyage where he hadde ben a hole yere whiche was on the fronters of GeÌ„nes And there were certayne great men genowayes that had enformed the duke of Orlyaunce that the hoole Duchy of Geane desyred to haue to their chiefe lorde some noble persone discended of the lynage of the flour delyce And for as moche as the duke of Orlyaunce had wedded the doughter of the lorde of Myllaygne and that the lande and duchy of Geane shulde be ryght mete for hym at the duke of Orlyaunce instaunce the lorde of Coucy with thre huÌ„dred speares and fyue huÌ„dred cros bowes passed ouer in to Sauoye and to Pyemont by the accorde and consent of the erle of Sauoye and came in to Aste in Pyemont by the consent of the lorde of Myllayne and came to a cytie called Alexandria and so came to the fronters marchesse of the genowayes and there fell in treatie with them to know more playnly their enteÌ„cyons for ê‘force he coulde do nothyng without he
that they shall haue ynoughe to do TO coÌ„sydre these wordes one ought greatly to marueyle that the Lorde Galeas erle of Vertues and Duke of Myllayne who was reputed to be a christen man baptysed and regenerate after the Christen Lawe wolde seke or requyre loue or alyaunce with a kynge myscreant out of our lawe and faythe or to sende hym gyftes and presentes as he dyde euery yere As dogges haukes and fyne lynen clothes whiche are ryght plesaunt to the Sarazins for they haue none but that cometh fro our parties Also the great Turke sent to hym agayne other presentes of ryche clothe of golde and precyous stones wherof the Sarazins haue great plentie But in those dayes the erle of Vertues duke of Myllayne and sir Galeas his father reygned as tyrantes and so helde their signories It is marueyle to thynke of their dedes and fyrste howe they entred and opteygned the signorie of Myllayne So it was there were thre bretherne the lorde Manfres the lorde Galeas and the lorde Barnabo They hadde an vncle who was archebysshoppe of Myllayne And so it fortuned that whan the lorde Charles of Lusenbourge kyng of Boesme and of Almayne emperour of Rome who reigned after kyng Loyes of Bauyer who opteygned to the Empyre byforce for he was neuer taken as Emperour by the churche but excoÌ„munycate and a cursed by pope Innocent who reygned as thanÌ„e For this Loyes of Bauyer went to Rome and made hymselfe to be crowned emperour by a pope and .xii. cardynalles that he made And as soone as he was crowned he made the Almayns to be payed their wages to ouer ryn Rome and to robbe and to pyll it this was the rewarde that the romayns had for receyuyng of hym wherfore he dyed excoÌ„municat and in that sentence The pope and cardynalles that he made without any constreynâ— came after to Auignon and submytted them selfes to pope Innocent who reigned before Vrbayne the fyfthe and there were assoyled of their errours ¶ Nowe to purpose howe the lordes of Myllayne came fyrst to that signorie I shall shewe you howe SO it was the archebysshoppe of Myllayne at a tyme receyued kynge Charles of Boesme emperour in to the cytie of Myllayne nobly and tryumphantlye after the Emperour had been before Axe the Chapell and had accomplysshed there his .xl. dayes accordyng to the vsage in the case parteyning and for the great chere that he made to the Emperour and for a hundred thousande ducates that he lent to the Emperour He made the bysshop vycouÌ„t of Myllayne and his nephewes after hym for euer to holde the lande and signorie of Mylayne free at his wyll vnto the tyme that the Emperour hadde payde agayne at one tyme the sayd soÌ„me of a hundred thousande ducates And so after the bysshoppe dyed and the lorde Manfres his nephue by the accorde of the Emperour and for loue of his vncle was receyued in to the signorie of Myllayne than his two bretherne who as than were nat very riche the lorde Galeas and the lorde Barnabo counsayled toguyder determyned to reigne and to holde the landes of LoÌ„bardy bytwene theÌ„ and to coÌ„ioyne theÌ„ by mariage to some great lordes to maynteyne their estates and to cause men to feare their displeasures And so they caused their brother MaÌ„frese to be slayne by venyme or otherwyse after whose dethe they reygned puissauntly byforce and polycy All their dayes they lyued in good accorde toguyder and departed the cyties of Lombardy bytwene them The lorde Galeas hadde tenne bycause he was the eldest and the lorde Bernabo nyne And the cytie of Myllayne was gouerned one yere by the one brother and another yere by the other brother And to the entent to reigne puissauntly they sought the wayes to gader great rychesse by raysinge vp in possyons subsydies and gabelles and many other yuell customes wherby they gadered great store of golde and syluer and they caused their townes and cyties to be kepte with soudyours straungers as Almaygnes FreÌ„che men Bretons Englysshmen and of all other nacyons excepte their owne countrey men for they hadde no trust nor affiaunce in them for feare of rebellyon agaynst theÌ„ and these soudyours were payed fro moneth to moneth wherby they were so douted and fered of the people that none durste displease them For if any dyd ryse or dyde any thyng agaynst them there was cruell vengeaunce taken vpon them They distroyed many a one in their dayes to gyue ensaÌ„ple to other IN all their signories no man hadde any thynge but atte their pleasure They wolde tayle a ryche man thre or foure tymes in a yere They sayd that loÌ„bardes were ouer proude and presuÌ„ptuous in their richesse wherfore it was behouable to kepe them vnder subiection no man durst saye nay to any thyng that they coÌ„maunded These two bretherne maryed them hyghlye and bought their wyues with the goodê and substaunce of their people The lorde Galeas hadde to wyfe the suster of the good erle of Sauoye named Blaunche payde to the erle for her a hundred thousande ducates The lorde Barnabo maryed hym in Almaygne to the suster of the duke of Bresnyche and payde no lesse money than his brother dyd These two bretherne hadde many chyldren and maryed them highly and richelye to atteyne therby great alyaunces The lorde Galeas had a sone called Galleas and as than the father vnderstode that whaÌ„ kynge Iohan of Fraunce was come out of Englande and put to rauÌ„some to .xxx. C. thousand frankes and they of Fraunce wyst nat howe to reyse the fyrste payment ThanÌ„e he treated with the Frenche kynge and his couÌ„sayle to haue one of his doughters for Galeas his sonne The kynge and his couÌ„sayle entended to this treatie bycause they knewe well this lorde Galeas was grounded in richesse and thus he bought the kyngê doughter for sixe hundred thousande frankes whiche were tourned in payment to the Kynge of Englande And so his sonne maryed kynge Iohans doughter and to hym was gyuen the countie and erldome of Vertues in Champaygne Of that sonne and doughter issued a doughter whiche byforce of golde and syluer was maryed to the seconde sonne of kynge Charles of Fraunce called Loyes duke of Orlyaunce erle of Bloyes and Valoyes The maryage cost the erle of Vertus father to the sayde lady tenne hundred thousaunde frankes And the countie of Bloyes was bought of the erle Guye of Bloyes as it hath ben conteyned here before in this hystorie Thus these lordes Galeas and Barnabo acorded right well toguyder all their lyue dayes they neuer varyed nor their people toguyder therfore they reigned in great puissaunce No man coude haue reason nor right of them Pope cardynalles nor other that made any warre agaynst them sauyng alonely the marques of MouÌ„tferant that was by the meanes of the lorde Iohan Hacon and the Englysshe men with the routes of the companyons whiche Iohan Hacon brought them out of Prouynce in to Lombardy and made there great warre
him selfe to auoide this realme of Englande and goo dwell in what place he lyste out therof And that he be banysshed in suche wyse that he neuer retourne agayne And also I ordayne that the erle of Derby our cosyn bycause he hathe displeased vs and that he is the chiefe cause of the banysshment of therle Marshall That within this fyftene dayes he auoyde the Realme of Englande and to be banysshed for tenne yeres without retournynge excepte we repeale hym agayne the whiche shall alwayes lye in our pleasure THis sentence greatly contented the lordes that were there present and they sayde the erle of Derby maye well ynoughe go and sporte hym out of the realme for two or thre yeres He is yonge ynoughe Thoughe he haue been sore traueyled in his dayes in farre countries as in to Pruce and to the holy Sepulchre to Cayre and to saynt Katheryns mount So he may do yet goo some other voyages to passe the tyme if he lyste he knoweth wyll ynoughe whider to go he hath two susters one quene of Spaygne the other quene of Portugale He maye well passe the tyme with them and also as nowe there is no warre Whan he cometh in to Spaygne he maye moue theym to make warre vpon the Sarazyns and to make a voyage in to Granade wherby he maye better employe his tyme than abydynge in Englande or elles he maye goo in to Heynaulte to his brother and cosyn the Erle of Ostrenaunt who wyll receyue hym with great ioye and retaygne hym sor he hathe warre with the Fresons and in Haynaulte he maye dayly here newes out of Englande and fro his children He can natte go amysse goo where he wyll And the kynge maye repeale hym agayne by good meanes whan it shall please hym for he is one of the fayrest floures in his garlande He shall nat be longe absente if the kynge purpose to haue the loue of his people But the erle Marshalle is in a farre worse case for he is banysshed without hope for euer to retourne agayne And to saye the trouthe he hath well deserued it for all this myschiefe is come by hym and by his wordes Thus dyuers knyghtes and squyers of Englande talked toguyder one with another the same daye that the kynge gaue the sayde iugemēt ⸪ ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the erle of Derby departed fro London to go in to Fraunce and the erle Marshall went in to Flaunders and so in to Lombardy Cap. CC.xxx. ⸪ ⸪ WHan these two Erles sawe what sentence the kynge had gyuen theym they were ryght sore pensyue and good cause why The erle Marshall sore repented him of that he had said and done For whan he began the mater he thought otherwyse to haue ben borne out by the kyng than he was For if he hadde knowen as moche before he wolde neuer haue begon the matter Whan he sawe there was no remedy he made hym redy and made his exchaung fro London to Bruges and so cāe to Calays where as he had been capitayne and there toke his leaue and so went to Bruges and there taryed a fyftene dayes than to Gaunt and so to Maynges and finally to Colloigne ¶ Lette vs leaue spekyng of hym and speke or the erle of Derby who prepared hym selfe in lykewise to departe out of Englande accordyng to the kynges sentēce Whan his daye of departure aproched he came to Eltham to the kynge where as the duke of Lācastre his father was and the duke of yorke with them the erle of Northumlande and sir Henry Percy his sonne with a great nombre of other knyghtes and squyers of Englande suche as loued hym And were soore displeased of the fortune that he must auoyde the realme These lordes came thyder to se what ende the kynge wolde make in the mater of whose cōmyng the kynge made semblaunt to be right ioyfull and made them great chere and helde a great court Also there was the erle of Salisbury and the erle of Huntyngton brother to the kyng who hadde to his wyfe the duke of Lancastres doughter and suster to the erle of Derby These two lordes came to therle of Derby I knowe nat if they dissymuled or nat At the erles departynge the kynge humyled hym greatly to his cosyn of Derby and said As Godde helpe me it right greatly displeaseth me the wordes that hath been bytwene you and the Erle Marshalle But the sentence that I haue gyuen is for the beste and for to apease therby the people who greatly murmured on this matter Wherfore cosyn yet to ease you somwhat of your payne I release my Iudgement fro tenne yere to syxe yere Cosyn take this a worthe and ordyne you therafter The erle answered and sayd Sir I thāke your grace and whan it shall please you ye shall do me more grace All the lordes that were there were well contented with the kynge as for that tyme. Than euery man departed and some went to London with the erle of Derby The Erle made all his prouisyon at Douer to passe to Calays And the erle beyng at London or his departure was counsayled by his father for to go streight to the Frenche kynge and to his cosyns in Fraunce And accordynge to his fathers counsayle so he dyde or elles he wolde haue gone to the erle of Ostrenaunt his brother and cosyn Whan the Erle departed fro London there were in the stretes mo thanne fourtie thousande men wepyng and cryeng after hym that it was pytie to here And sōe said O gentyll erle of Derby shall we thus leaue you This Realme shall neuer be in ioye tyll ye retourne agayne But the daye of retourne is very longe for enuy falsehed and trayson hath putte you out of this Realme where as ye ought to abyde rather thā many other For ye are of suche lynage and of so noble blode that none ought to be compared to you And gentyll erle why shalle we leaue you ye neuer dyde nor thought yuell THus men women pituously spake He was nat conueyed out of the cytie with instrumentes but with lamentable wepynges And some sayd secretelye Cōsyder the order of these people what displeasure they take for a small occasyon Who so euer wolde styrre the Londoners to ryse agaynst the kyng he might than go seke further flye out of the realme rather than the erle of Derby but it is as nowe no tyme sithe the duke of Lācastre his father suffreth if we must nedes suffre it The mayre of Lōdon and a great nombre of the chiefe burgesses accompanyed therle of Derby out of the cytie Some rode to Dartforde and some to Douer and sawe hym take shippyng than they retourned And the erle of Derby or he came to Calais he hadde sent a knyght and an heraulde to the Frenche kyng and to his brother the duke of Orlyaunce and to the kynges vncles the dukes of Berrey of Burbon and of Burgoyn to knowe the kynges pleasure if he wolde suffre the
after he ordeyned him to go in to the realme of Hungery for the kynge of Hungery had written to the frenche kynge howe Lamorabaquy assembled great puyssaunce of men of warre of turkes arabyes tartaryes and suryens and of dyuers other of his secte to fyght with hym The erle of Derby the same season beynge at Paris in the house of Clyssone nere to the temple was wyllynge to go in to Hungery whiche shulde be the lesse coste to the Frenche kynge for he had euery weke redy payed him fyue hundred crownes of golde and the erle thought hym selfe moche bounde to the frenche kynge for that grace and whan that tydynges came fro the kynge of Hungery in to Fraunce the erle of Derby entended well to that mater and thought in hym selfe that voyage to be ryght honourable for hym to passe his tyme there wherby he shulde the lightlyer forget the tyme of his trouble and spake to them of his specyall counsayle and they counsayled hym to go in that voyage so that he knewe fyrst the duke of Lancastre his fathers pleasure in that behalfe Than the erle one of his knyghtes called Dinorth in to Englande to knowe his fathers pleasure This knyght came in to Englande and founde the duke of Lancastre at a Castell a twenty myle fro London called Hertforde There he shewed hym his sonnes entente And whan the duke vnderstode the mynde of the erle his sonne and the good wyll that he had to go in to Hungery to passe the tyme of his banyssment he was ryght well content and sayd to the knyght syr ye be welcome your wordes and my sonnes lettre requyreth counsayle◠ye shall rest you here with vs a season and in the meane whyle we shall take aduyse and in the whyle ye may go and se my sonnes chyldren for ye muste beare tydynges of them to their father Syr quod the knyght ye say true So this knyght syr Dynorth taryed a season in Englande NOwe had the frenche kinge good occasyon to write to the kynge of Almayne and to his coūsayle in what case he had brought pope Benedic and the cardynalles The kynge than sent thyder a noble ambassade as the patryarke of Iherusalem syr Charles of Hangers and other knightes and they founde the kynge at Strawbourgh and dyd their message wherwith the kynge and his counsayle were well content and sayd howe they wolde determyne on that matter but they said they wolde gladly that the kyng of Englande shulde take the same waye the whiche they feared shulde be herde to do with this aunswere the ambassadours retourned in to Fraunce and shewed the kynge what they had doone and sene The frenche kynge than to th entent to bring his purpose to passe sente agayne in to Englande to kynge Rycharde and the messangers shewed the kynge the cause of their cōmynge The kynge gaue good herynge to the mater but as than he had nat the prelates of the realme nor the clergy with hym nor were nat so plyable to folowe his pleasure as they in Fraunce to folowe the pleasure of their kynge and this he shewed to the frenche kynges messangers howe be it he sayde he wolde do his deuoyre and so he dyd And so the messangers returned in to Fraūce and kynge Rycharde on a daye at Westmynster assembled all his prelates and clergy of Englande and whan they were there the kynge shewed wysely the dyfference that was in the churche and howe the frenche kynge by delyberacyon and aduyse of counsayle and by consent of the vnyuersite of Parys and other clerkes he was determyned to be newter and in lykewyse so are the kynges of Spaygne of Scotlande of Aragone and of Nauer and howe that all Almayne Boesme and Italy were of the same opynyon In lykewyse the kynge of Englande desyred that his realme shuld folowe the same Whan the prelates and the clergy who knewe nothynge why they were sent for herde that mater they had great marueyle and were sore abasshed some stode styll and spake no worde and some began to murmure and sayde Our kynge is become frenche he entendeth to nothynge but to dyshonour and distroy vs but he shal nat What wolde he bringe vs out of our beleue he maye do so moche that he shall haue yuell therof let vs nat folowe this opynion sythe the frenche kynge taketh that waye lette hym holde hym selfe newter and let vs holde styll our beleue and lette no man put it fro vs without there be greater apparaunce of a surer foundacyon than we se as yet Whan kyng Rycharde sawe the dyfference and murmurynge of the clergy he caused the bysshoppe of London to demaunde of all the clergy what was best to do They all aunswered that the matter was so great that therin requyred great counsayle and delyberacyon and so they departed and euery man went to his lodgynge And whan the londoners knewe the cause of that assemble and the request that the kynge had made they were than sore troubled agaynst the kyng for the people of Englande were so fermely set on the beleuynge on the pope at Rome that they wolde nat leaue it and sayde howe that Rycharde of Burdeaulx wolde distroy them all if he be let alone his herte is so frenche that he canne nat hyde it but a daye wyll come to paye for all that he shall repente hym and all suche as gyue hym suche counsayle What so euer the kynge sayd to haue his people newter they wolde in no wyse agree therto And the frenche kynge was nat well content with his sonne kynge Rycharde in that he had nat incontynent caused his realme to haue been newter but to saye the trouth the kynge was nat to blame therin And also suche accydentes fell soone after the whiche were so great and horryble that the lyke hath nat ben sene in all this hystorye vpon no kynge crysten except of noble kynge Peter of Lusygnen kyng of Cyper and Iherusalem whome his owne brother and the cypriens martyred ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the aunswere of the Duke of Lancastre to the knyght sent to hym fro his sonne the erle of Derby and howe the duke of Lancastre dyed Cap. CC .xxxiiii. WHan sir Dinorth Whom the erle of Derby had sente in to Englande to his father the duke of Lancastre and had his answere of the duke and had vysyted all the erles landes and had sene his chyldren four sonnes and two doughters than he toke his leaue and retourne in to Fraunce His aunswere was howe that the duke wolde nat counsayle the erle his sonne to go in to Hungery but whan he was wery of beynge in Fraūce than rather to go in to Castell to the kynge there and to his suster and if he lyste to go further than to go and vysite his other suster the quene of Portugale The erle redde his fathers letters two tymes ouer and studyed theron a season and syr Dinorth shewed him that the physicions and surgyons in Englande sayd surely howe
the realme they were gladde of all this and wolde that more trouble had ben in the realme and the cytezins of Lōdon who were ryche and lyued by their marchaundyse as well coraunt by see as by lande and kepte therby great estate and by ensample of them all the remnaūt of the realme lyghtly folowed they sawe well that as great myschiefe was lykely to folowe in the realme as was sometyme in kynge Edwarde the secondes dayes whan the lorde Spencer caused the kynge to put out of the realme the quene Isabell and Edward her sonne and wolde haue distroyed them and wyste nat why and so were out of the Realme more than thre yere but fynally whan the men in Englande and specyally the londoners sawe howe that the kynge was so asotted on this syr Hugh spenser they prouyded for a remedy for they sente secretly to the quene Isabell that if she coulde get thre hundred men of warre to come in to Englande she shulde fynde the greatest parte of the realme and the londoners redy to receyue her and to put her in possessyon of the realme whervpon the quene founde the lorde Iohan of Haynalt lorde of Beaumont and of Chynay and brother to the erle Guillyam of Haynalte who what for loue and pytie toke on him the vyage to brynge the quene and her sonne in to Englande with four hundred men of warre and so aryued in Englande and by the ayde of the londoners the quene atchyued her enterprise for without their ayde it wolde haue ben hard to haue come to passe and so kynge Edwarde was taken at the castell of Bristowe and set in prisone in the castell of Berkley and suche as fauoured him slayne and put to execusion and Edwarde his sonne crowned kynge at Westmynster All this the londoners ryght well remembred for they that were yonge herde this reported of their elders and some founde it in writynge and they sayd secretly one to a nother Our fathers and antecessours of olde tyme prouyded for these greate mischiefes and we thinke there was neuer greater cause than nowe at this present tyme for suffer this kyng Rycharde to haue his wyll and he wyll waste and dystroy all for sythe he was kynge there hath nat been in Englande suche prosperyte as was before he sheweth nat that the prince of Wales shulde be his father for if he had he wolde haue folowed his condicions and haue taken great pleasure in his prowes and nat to lyue in reste and ease as he dothe for he loueth nothynge but sporte and ydelnesse with ladyes and to be alwayes in their company and to beleue men of small reputacyon and to gather great rychesse and distroy the realme whiche thynges ought nat to be suffred And bycause that valyaunt man the duke of Gloucestre sawe clerely that the maters in Englande went nat as they shulde do by right and sawe howe dayly it was worse and worse and bycause he spake playnely therof the traytours that be about the kinge caused hym to be murthered and in lykewyse the good erle of Arundell and haue driuen out of the realme that valyaunt yonge knight Henry of Lancastre erle of Derby by whome the realme myght and ought to be counsayled and susteyned and by his four sonnes that he hath And yet for more crueltie besyde the dōmage that they cause the father to suffre out of the realme they dysenheryte the chyldren and the herytage that was their auntes the lady dame Blanche of Lancastre is dayly gyuen awaye to them that are nat worthy to haue theym And also bycause the erle of Northumberlande and his sonne the lorde Henry Percy haue somwhat spoken acordynge to reasone kynge Rycharde hath banysshed them it is well apparaūt that with in a shorte tyme there shall neuer a valyaunt man be lefte in the realme wherfore all wyll rynne to nought without remedy be founde shortely and we thynke the best remedy were to sende for the erle of Derby who leseth his season in Fraunce and whan he is come lette hym haue the gouernaunce of the realme that he may refourme all yuell and bringe it in to good state and lette them be punysshed that haue deserued and let Richarde of Burdeaux be taken and sette in the towre of London and all his fautes put in writynge in artycles of the whiche there wyll be founde a great nombre and by that tyme they be examined it shall be sene clerely that he is nat worthy to beare a crowne nor to kepe a realme for his owne de des shall confounde hym ¶ Howe the archebysshop of Caunterbury was sente in to Fraunce to the erle of Derby fro the londoners and other counsayls of Englande to haue him to returne in to Englande Cap. CC.xxxviii THus the londoners cōmunded togyder and nat al onely they but also in dyuers other places of the realme but the chyefe murmuracyon that the people were in was by the first set rynge on of them of London for the cōmons of London were as chefe and by them lyghtly all other cōmons wold be ruled and vpon the myschiefe that they sawe apparaunt in Englande they had dyuers secrete counsayles to gyther and with them certayne prelates and other knyghtes of the realme and they concluded to sende in to Fraunce for the erle of Derby and were determyned whan he were come to shewe hym the yuell gouernynge of kynge Rycharde and to put to hym the crowne and gouernynge of the realme of Englande and so to make hym kynge and his heyres for euer so that he wyll kepe the realme in all good vsages Than it was thought that he that shulde go in that message must be a wyse man and of good credence for they thought it shulde be a great mater to gette the erle of Derby out of Fraūce for they said that for any symple wordes of a meane messanger or for any letters he wolde gyue no faythe there to but rather thynke it shulde be to betraye hym Than the archebysshoppe of Caunterbury a man of honoure and prudence was desyred to do that message who for the cōmon profyte of the realme acorded to go at their desyres and ordeyned for his departure so wysely that none knewe therof but suche as ought to knowe it and so he toke a shyppe at London and but seuen all onely with hym and so past without any parell and came to Sluse in Flaunders and fro thens to Ardenbourge and so to Gaunte to And warpe to A the in Brabant to Conde and so to Valencennes and there toke his lodgynge at the signe of the Swanne in the market place and there taryed a thre dayes and refressed himselfe He rode nat lyke no bysshop but lyke a monke pylgryme and dyscouered to no man what he was nor what he entended to do The fourth day he departed and toke a man to be his guyde to Parys sayenge howe he wolde go a pylgrymage to saint More He dyd so moch that he came
Xancere and of the departyng of the erle of Arundell Cap. C .l. ¶ Howe the admyrall of Fraunce was ordayned by the Frenche kynge and his counsayle as ambassadour to go to the kynge of Castile and howe the duke of Berrey sent to the erle of Foize to treate for a maryage bytwene the duke of Berrey the erles doughter of Bolonge Cap C .li. ¶ Howe Geffray Tete Noyre dyde chose a capitayne ouer his company and howe he made his testament and so dyed And howe the duke of Guerles departed fro his countrey to go in to Pruce and of the incydence that fell to hym in the lande of the duke of Stulpe where he was taken prisoner and disconfyted Cap. C .lii. ¶ Howe sir Johan of Vyen dyde his message to kyng Johan of Castyle fro the frenkynge and his counsayle and what answers the kynge of Castyle made to hym Capi. C .liii. ¶ Howe sir Loyes of Xancere went to se the erle of Foize at Orthays and howe before the duke of LaÌ„castre at Burdeux there were dedes of armes done bytwene fyue Frenche men and fyue Englysshe men and howe the duchesse of Lancastre went with her doughter in to Castyle to kyng JohnÌ„ Cap. c .liiii. ¶ Howe the duchesse of Lancastre departed fro the kyng of Castyle and wente to Mantuell to bring her fathers bones to Ciuyle howe the Frenche kyng sent ambassadours to the erle of Foize to treate for the mariage of the duke of Berrey his vncle with therie of Boloyns doughter Cap. C .lv. ¶ Howe certaygne wyse men treated for a peace to endure for thre yere bytwene FrauÌ„ce and Englande and all their alyes aswell on the one parte as on the other by laÌ„de and by see Cap. C .lvi. ¶ Of the ordynaunce of the entre of quene Isabell in to the towne of Paris Ca. c .lvii. ¶ Howe the lorde of Castell morant whom therle of saynt Poule had lefte behynde him in Englande retourned in to Fraunce with the charter of the truse sealed by kynge Richarde his vncles to endure thre yere by see and by lande Cap. C .lviii. ¶ The maryage of kynge Loyes sonne to the duke of Aniou to the doughter of kynge Peter of Arragone and howe he went with the quene of Naples his mother to Auignon to se pope Clement Cap. C .lix. ¶ Howe the Frenche kyng had desyre to go and visyte the farre partes of his realme and howe he went fyrste in to Burgoyne and to Auignone to se pope Clement Cap. c.lx. ¶ Howe sir Peter Courtney caÌ„e in to FrauÌ„ce to do armes with sir Guye of Tremoyle and howe the lorde of Clary conueyed hym and by what occasyon he dyde armes with hym in the marchesse of Calis Cap. c.lxi ¶ Howe the iustes at saynt Inguelyert otherwyse called Sandyngfelde were enterprised by sir Raynolde of Roye the yonge sir BouciquauÌ„t and the lorde of saynt Pye Capi. C .lxii. ¶ Of the complayntes made to the Frenche kynge by the people of Languedocke in the towne of Besyers agaynst Beusache treasourer to the duke of Berrey of the great extorcyons that he had made and of his contessyon and of the cruell dethe that he hadde in the sayd towne Cap. C.lxiii ¶ Howe the Frenche kyng beynge at Tholous sent for the erle of Foize who came thyder and dyd homage to the kyng for the couÌ„tie of Foize Cap. C.lxiiii ¶ Of the feate and couynauÌ„t that was done bytwene the kynge and the duke of Thoutayne his brother whiche of them shulde sonest come to Parys fro Mountpellyer whiche is a hundred and fyftie leages a sonder eche of them but with one knight Capi. C .lxv. ¶ Of the dethe of pope Vrbayne of Rome called the Antepape howe pope Clement wrote to the Frenche kyng and to his vncles and to the vnyuersite and of the electyon of pope Bonyface by the cardynals of Rome Capi. C .lxvi. ¶ Of the yeldynge vp and takynge of the stronge castell of Vanchadore in Lymosyn of olde parteyninge to sir Geffray Teate Noyre Cap. C.lxvii ¶ Of the dedes of armes at saynt Ingylbertes continewyng thyrtie dayes agaynst all coÌ„mers of the realme of Englande other countreis euery manne thre courses Capi. C .lxviii. ¶ Of the enterprise and voyage of the knyghtes of Fraunce and Englande and of the duke of Burbone who was as chiefe of that armye at the request of the genouoys to go in to Barbary to besiege the stronge towne of Affryke Cap. C.lxix ¶ Of a capitayne a robber and a pyller of the countre called Aymergot Marcell who helde a strong castell in the marchesse of Rouergne called the Roche of Vandoys and howe it was besieged by the vicount of Meauix and of the takyng therof and howe Aymergot was taken and brought to Parys Capi. C .lxx. ¶ Howe the Christen lordes and the genoâ—â—ys beyng in the ysle of Conymbres at ancre departed thens to go and lay siege to the strong cytie of Affryke in Barbary howe they maynteyned the siege Cap. C.lxxi ¶ Howe after this aduenture and doÌ„mage that fell to the christen men by reason of this assaute before the towne of Affryke that so many knyghtes and squyers were deed they maynteygned them selfe more wiselyer after than they dyde before and contynued their siege a longe season after Cap. c.lxxii ¶ Of a feest and iustes made by the kyng of Englande in London whyle the Christen knyghtes and squyers were at the siege before the towne of Affryke agaynst the sarasyns and howe this feest was publisshed in dyuers countreis landes Cap. C.lxxiii ¶ Howe and by what indydent the siege was reysed before the towne of Affryke and by what occasyon and howe euery man recourned to their owne countreis Cap. c.lxxiiii ¶ Of thenglyss he knyghtes that were sente to Parys to the Frenche kyng fro the kyng of Englande and his vncles to treate for a peace Capi. C.lxxv ¶ Of the dethe of kynge Iohan of Castyle and of the crownynge of kynge Henry his sonne Cap. C.lxxvi ¶ Of the army of the yonge erle Iohan of Armynake and of the voyege that he made in to Lombardy howe he dyed at the siege before the towne of AlexaÌ„dre Cap. c.lxxvii ¶ Howe sir Peter of Craon fell in the Frenche kynges displeasure and in the Duke of Thourayns and after he was receyued by the duke of Bretayne Cap. C.lxxviii ¶ Of the dethe of the yonge erle Loyes of Chastellon sonne to therle Guye of Bloys Cap. C.lxxix ¶ Of the sodayne dethe of the erle Gascone of Foize and howe the erle of Chastellon caÌ„e to his enherytaunce Cap. C.lxxx ¶ Howe the treatie of peace renewed at Towers in Thourayne bytwene the Frenche kynge and the duke of Bretayne and of the maryage of the doughter of Fraunce to the sonne of Bretayne and of Iohan of Bretayne erle of Ponthieur and the doughter of the duke of Bretayne Cap. C.lxxxi ¶ Howe the erle of Bloyes Mary of Namure his wyfe solde the countie
is fayre and standeth in a playne countre amonge the fayre vynes And it is a towne cytie and castell closed with gates and walles and seperated eche fro other Fro the mountayns of Byerne and Catheloyne cometh the fayre ryuer of Lysse whiche ronneth throughe Tarbe and is as clere as a fountayne And a fyue leages thens is the towne of Morlance parteyninge to the erle of Foiz at the entre of the countie of Bierne and vnder the mountayne a site leages fro Tarbe is the towne of Panne whiche also ê‘teyneth to the sayd erle The same tyme that the prince princes was at Tarbe therle of Foiz was at Panne He was there bylding of a fayre castell ioyninge to the towne without on the ryuer of Grane Assone as he knewe the comynge of the prince and princesse beyng at Tarbe He ordayned to go and se theym in great estate with mo than sixe hundred horses and threscore knightes in his company And of his comynge to Tarbe was the prince and priÌ„cesse right ioyouse and made hym good chere and there was the erle of Armynake the lorde Dalbret and they desyred the price to requyre the erle of Foiz to forgyue therle of Armynake all or els parte of the somme of florens that he ought to haue And the prince who was wyse and sage consyderynge all thynges thought that be might nat do so and sayde Sir erle of Armynake ye were taken by armes in that iourney of batayle and ye dyde putte my cosyn the erle of Foiz in aduenture agaynste you And thoughe fortune were fauourable to hym and agaynst you his valure ought nat than to be made lesse By lyke dedes my lorde my father nor I wolde nat be contente that we shulde be desyred to leaue that we haue wonne by good aduenture at the batayle of Poicters wherof we thanke god WhanÌ„e the erle of Armynake herde that he was a basshed for he fayled of his entente Howe be it yet the lefte nat of so But than he reâ—red the princesse who with a good hert desyred therle of Foiz to gyue her a gyfte Madame quod theâ—le I am but a meane man therfore I can gyue no great gyftes But madame if the thyng that ye desyre passe nat the valure of threscore thousande frankes I wyll gyue it you with a gladde chere yet the princesse assayed agayne if she coude cause hym to graunt her full desyre But the â—rle was sage and subtell and thought verily that her desyre was to haue hym to forgyue clerely the Erle of Armynake all his dette And than he sayde agayne Madame for a poore knight as I am who buyldeth townes and castelles the gyfte that I haue graunted you ought to suffyce the princesse coude bringe hym no farther whan she sawe that she said Gentyll erle of Foiz the request that I desyre of you is to forgyue clerely the erle of Armynake Madame quod the erle to your request I ought well to condiscendâ— I haue sayd to you that if your desyre passe nat the valure of threscore thousande frankes that I wolde graunt it you But madame the erle of Armynake oweth me two hundred and fyftie thousande frankes and at your request I forgaue hym therof threscore thousande frankes Thus the mater stode in that case and the erle of Armynake at the request of the princes wan the forgyueng of threscore thousande frankes And anone after the erle of Foiz returned to his owne countre I Sir Iohan Froissarde make narracion of this busynesse bycause whan I was in the countie of Foyz and of Bierne I passed by the couÌ„tie of Bygore and I demaunded and enquered of the newes of that countrey suche as I knewe nat before And it was shewed me howe the prince of wales and of Aquitayne whyle he was at Tarbe he had great wyll to go se the castell of Lourde whiche was a thre leages of nere to the entre of the mountayne And whan he was there and had well aduysed the towne the castell and the couÌ„tre he praysed it greatly aswell for the streÌ„gth of the castell as bycause it stode on the fronter of dyuers countreis For the garysone there might ronne well in to the realme of Arragon in to Catellon and to Barselon Than the priÌ„ce called to hym a knyght of his housholde in whom he had great truste and loued hym entierly and he had serued hym truely and was called sir Pyer Ernalde of the countre of Bierne an experte man of armes and cosyn to the erle of Foiz Than the prince sayde to hym sir Ernalde I instytue and make you Chateleyn and capitayne of Lourde gouernour of the countre of Bygore Loke that ye kepe this castell se well that ye make a good accompte ther of to the kyng my father and to me Sir quod the knyght I thanke you and I shall obserue your coÌ„maundement There he dyde homage to the prince and the prince put hym in possession It is to be knowen that whan the warre began to renewe bytwene Englande FrauÌ„ce as it hath ben shewed before The erle Guy of saynt Poule and sir Hugh of Chatellon mayster of the crosbowes in Fraunce in that tyme beseged the towne of Abuyle and wan it with all the countre of Poitou The same tyme two great barons of Bigore th one called sir Marnalte Barbesan and the lorde Danchyn tourned frenche and toke the towne cytie and castell of Tarbe whiche was but easely kept for the kynge of Englande But styll the castell of Lourde was in the handes of sir Pier Ernalt of Bierne who wolde in no wyse yelde vp the castell but made euer great warre agaynst the realme of FrauÌ„ce and sent for great company of aduenturers in to Bierne and Gascoyne to helpe and to ayde hym to make warre so that he had togyder many good men of armes and he had with hym sixe capitayns euery man fyftie speares vnder hym The first was his brother Iohan of Bierne a right expert squyer and Pier Danchyne of Bygore brother germayne to the lorde Danchyne he wolde neuer tourne frenche Nandon of saynt Colombe Ermalton of mount Ague of saynt Basyll and the Bourge of Carnela These capitayns made dyuers iourneys in to Bygore in to Tholousyn in to Carcassene in to Albygoise For euer assone as they were out of Lourde they were in the lande of their enemyes and somtyme they wolde aduenture thyrtie leages of fro their holde And in their goynge they wolde take nothyng but in their retourne there was nothynge coulde scape theÌ„ Somtyme they brought home so great plentie of beestes prisoners that they wyst nat howe to kepe them Thus they rauÌ„somed all the couÌ„trey excepte the erle of Foiz landes For in his landes they durste nat take a chekyn withoute they payed truely therfore For if they had displeased the erle they coulde nat longe haue endured These companyons of Lourde ranne ouer all the countre at their pleasure
discended fro hym Sir quod I all this might well be ther is no thyng but that may fall but they of Armynake are right stronge and so therby this countrey shal be euer in warre and stryfe but sir I pray you shewe me the iust cause why the warre first moued bytwene them of Foiz and Armynake I wyll shewe you ê™ the knight I ensure you it is a marueylous warre for as they saye eche of theÌ„ haue cause Sir aunciently about a huÌ„dred yere past there was a lorde in Byerne called Gascone a ryght valyant man in armes is buryed in the freres right solempnely at Ortaise and there ye may se what persone he was of stature and of body for in his lyfe tyme his pycture was made in latyn the whiche is yet there This Gascone lorde of Bierne had two doughters the eldest was maryed to the erle of Armynake that was thanÌ„e and the yongest to the erle of Foiz who as than was nephue to the kyng of Aragon and as yet therle of Foiz beareth his armes for he discended out of Aragon his armes are palle golde and goules And so it fortuned that this lorde of Biern had a gret warre agaynst the kynge of Spayne that was than who came through all Bisquay with a gret nombre of men of warre to entre in to Bierne The lorde Gascone of Bierne whan he was enformed of his comyng he assembled people on all sydes where he might get men of warre wrote letters to his two sonnes in lawe therle of Armynake and therle of Foiz that they shulde come to serue and ayde hym to defende his herytage These letters sene the erle of Foiz as sone as he myght asseÌ„bled his people prayed all his frendes so moche that he had a fyue huÌ„dred knightê and squiers armed and two thousande varlettes with speares dartes pauesses all a fote And so he came in to the countre of Bierne to serue his father who had of hym great ioye And so all they passed the bridge at Ortaise ouer the ryuer lodged bytwene Sanetere and thospytall the kyng of Spayne who had .xx. M. men was lodged nat far thens and ther the lorde Gascon of Bierne therle of foiz taryed for therle of Armynac thought euer that he wolde coÌ„e so taried for hi thre dayes and on the .iiii. day therle of Armynac sent his letters by an haraulde to the lorde Gascoine of Bierne and sente hym worde howe he myght nat come nor howe he hadde nothyng to do to beare armes for the countre of Bierne Whan the lorde Gascoyne herde those tidynges of excusacions and sawe howe heshulde haue none ayde nor conforte of the Erle of Armynake he was sore abasshed and demaunded counsayle of the erle of Foiz and of the other barones of Bierue howe they shulde maynteyne theÌ„ selfe Sir quod the erle of Foiz sithe we be here assembled let vs go and fight with our enemyes this counsayle was taken than they ordayned their people they were a twelfe huÌ„dred men of armes and sixe thousande men a fote The erle of Foiz tooke the first batayle and so came on the kyng of Spaygne and sette on his lodgynges And there was a great batayle and a fierse and slayne mo than ten thousande spayniardê and there therle of Foiz toke prisoners the kynge of Spaygnes sonne and his brother sent them to his father in lawe the lorde Gascoyne of Bierne who was in the areregarde there the spaynyerdes were so disconfyted that the erle of Foiz chased them to the porte saynt Adrian in Bisquay and the kynge of Spayne toke the abbey and dyde on the vesture of a monke or els he had ben taken Than the erle of Foiz retourned to the lorde Gascone of Bierne who made hym good chere as it was reason for he had saued his honour and kepte his countre of Bierne the whiche els was lykely to haue ben loste bycause of this batayle and disconfyture that the erle of Foiz made on the spaygnierdes and for the takyng of the kynges sonne and brother and the lorde of Bierne hadde peace with the spaygnierdes at his owne wyll And whan the lorde Gascoyne was retourned to Ortaise there before all the barons of Foiz and Bierne that were there present Hesayd to his sonne of Foiz Fayre sonne ye are my true and faithfull sonne ye haue saued myne honour and my couÌ„trey The erle of Armynake who hath maryed myne eldest doughter hath ercused hym selfe fro this busynesse and wolde nat come to defeÌ„de myne herytage wherin he shulde haue part Wherfore I saye that suche parte as he shulde haue by reason of my doughter he hath forfait and lost it And here clerely I enheryte you my sonne of Foiz after my dyscease of all the hoole lande and to your heyres for euer And I desyre wyll and commaunde all my subiectes to seale accorde and agre to the same And all answered howe they were well contente so to do Thus by this meanes as I haue shewed you aunciently the erles of Foiz were lordes of the countre of Bierne and bare the crye armes name and had the profyte therof Howe be it for all this they of Arminake had nat their clay me quyte This is the cause of the warre by twene Foiz and Armynake By my faythe sir than quod I ye haue well declared the mater I neuer herde it before And nowe that I knowe it I shall putte it in perpetuall memorie if god gyue me grace to retourne in to my countrey But sir if I durste I wolde fayne demaunde of you one thynge by what insydent the erle of Foiz sonne dyed Thafie the knyght studyed a lytell and sayd Sir the maner of his dethe is right pytuous I wyll nat speke therof Whan ye come to Ortaise ye shall fynde theÌ„ that wyll shewe you if ye demaunde it And than I helde my peace and we rode tyll we came to Morlens ⸪ ⸫ Of the great vertuousnesse and largesse that was in therle of Foiz and the maner of the pytuouse dethe of Gascone the erles sonne Cap. xxvi THe next day we departed and roode to Dyner to MouÌ„tgarbell and so to Ercye there we dranke And by sonne setting we came to Ortaise The knight a lighted at his owne lodgynge I a lyghted at the Mone wher dwelte a squier of the erles Erualton de Pyne who well receyued me bycause I was of Fraunce Sir Spayne of Leon wente to the castell to therle and founde hym in his galarye for he had but dyned a lytell before For the erles vsage was alwayes that it was hyghe noone or he arose out of his bedde and supped euer at mydnight The knight shewed hym howe I was come thider and incontynent I was sente for to my ladgynge for he was the lorde of all the worlde that moost desyred to speke with strauÌ„gers to here tidynges Whan the erle sawe me he made me good chere reteyned me as
layde it on a trenchour of bredde and called to him a dogge and gaue it hym to eate and assoone as the dogge had eaten the first morsell he tourned his eyen in his heed and dyed incontynentâ— And whanÌ„e the erle sawe that he was sore displeased also he had good cause and so rose fro the table and toke his knife and wolde haue stryken his son Than the knightes and squyers ran bytwene them and said Sir for goddes sake haue mercy and be nat so hastye Be well enformed first of the mater or ye do any yuell to your chylde And the first worde that therle said was A gascone treatour for to encrease thyne herytage that shulde come to the I haue had warre and hatered of the Frenche kyng of the kyng of EnglaÌ„de of the kyng of Spayne of the kyng of Nauar and of the kyng of Arragon and as yet I haue borne all their malesses and nowe thou woldest murther me it moueth of an yuell nature but first thou shalt dye with this stroke and so stept forthe with his knife wolde haue slayne him but than all the knightes and squyers kneled downe before hym wepynge and sayd Ah sir haue mercy for goddes sake â—â—ee nat Gascone your sonne remeÌ„bre ye haue dâ— more chyldren Sir cause hym to be kepte take good enformacion of the mater Paradnenfure he knewe nat what he bare and paraduenture is nothyng gyltie of the dede Well quod the erle incontynent put hym in prisone and let hym be so kepte that I may haue a reconyng of hym Than the chylde was put in to the towre the erle toke a great many of them that serued his sonne and some of them departed and as yet the bysshoppe of Lascalle is at Pan out of the countre for he was had in suspect and so were dyuers other Th erle cansed to be put to dethe a fyftene right horribly and the cause that the erle layde to them was he sayde It coulde be none otherwyse but that they knewe of the chyldes secretes wherfore they ought to haue shewed it to hym and to haue said Sir Gascone your sonne beareth a purse at his bosome Bycause they dyde nat thus they dyed horribly wherof it was great pytie for some of theÌ„ were as fresshe and as ioly squyers as were any in all the couÌ„tre for euer the erle was serued with good men This thynge touched the erle nere to the herte and that he well shewed For on a day he assembled at Ortaise all the nobles and prelates of Foiz and of Bierne and all the notable persons of his countrey And whan they were all assembled he shewed theym wherfore he sente for theÌ„ as howe he had fouÌ„de his sonne in this defaute For the whiche he fayd his entent was to putte hym to dethe as he had well deserued Than all the people answered to that case with one voyce and sayde Sir sauynge your grace we wyll nat that Gascoyne shulde dye he is your heyre and ye haue no mo And whan the erle herde the people howe they desyred for his sonne he soÌ„what refrayned his yre Than he thought to chastyce hym in prisone a moneth or two and than to sende hym on some voyage for two or thre yere tyll he might somwhat forget his yuell wyll and that the chylde might be of greatter age of more knowledge Than he gaue leaue to all the people to depart but they of Foiz wolde nat departe fro Ortaise tyll the erle shulde assure them that Gascoyne shulde nat dye they loued the chylde so well Than the erle promysed them but he sayd he wolde kepe hym in prisone a certayne space to chastice hym And so vpon this promyse euery man departed and Gascone abode styll in prisone These tidynges spredde abrode in to dyuers places and at that tyme pope Gregorie the .xi. was at Auygnon Than he sente the cardynall of Amyens in legacion in to Byerne to haue come to therle of Foiz for that businesse by that tyme he came to Besiers he herde suche tidynges that he neded nat to go any further for that mater for there he herde howe Gascon sonne to the erle of Foyz was deed Sythe I haue shewed you so moche nowe shall I shewe you howe he dyed THe erle of Foyz caused his sonne to be kepte in a darke chambre in the towre of Ortayse a tenne dayes lytell dyde he eate or drinke yet he had ynoughe brought hym euery daye but whan he sawe it he wolde go therfro and sette lytell therby And some sayd that all the meate that had been brought hym stode hole and entier the day of his dethe wherfore it was great marueyle that he lyued so longe for dyuers reasons The erle caused hym to be kepte in the chambre alone withoute any company outher to couÌ„sayle or conforte hym And all that season the chylde laye in his clothes as he came in and he argued in him selfe and was full of malencoly and cursed the tyme that euer he was borne and engendred to come to suche an ende The same day that he dyed they that serued hym of meate drinke whan they came to hym they sayde Gascone here is meate for you he made no care therof and sayde Sette it downe there He that serued hym regarded and sawe in the prison all the meate stande hole as it had been brought hym before And so departed and closed the chambre dore and went to the erle and sayd Sir for goddes sake haue mercy on your sonne Gascone for he is nere famysshed in prisone there he lyeth I thynke he neuer dyde eate any thynge sythe he came in to prisone for I haue sene there this daye all that euer I brought hym before lyeng toguyder in a corner Of those wordes the Erle was sore dyspleased and withoute any worde spekyng went out of his chambre and came to the prisone where his some was and in anyuell houre He had the same tyme a lytell knyfe in his hande to pare withall his nayles He opyned the prisone dore and came to his sonne and had the lytell knyfe in his hande nat an ynche out of his hande And in great dyspleasure he thruste his hande to his sonnes throte and the poynt of the knife a lytell entred in to his throte in to a certayne vayne and sayd Ah treatour Why doest nat thou eate thy meate And therwith the Erle departed without any more doynge or sayeng and went in to his owne chambre The chylde was abasshed and afrayed of the comynge of his father and also was feble of fastynge and the poynt of the knyfe a lytell entred in to a vayne of his throte so fell downe sodaynly and dyed The erle was scante in his chambre but the kepar of the chylde came to hym and sayd Sir Gascone your sonne is deed Deed quod the Erle yea truely sir quod he The erle wolde nat beleue it but sente thyder a squyer that was by him
and he went and came agayne and sayd Sir surely he is deed Than the Erle was sore displeased and made great complaynt for his sonne sayd A Gascone What a poore aducnture is this for the for me In an yuell hour thou wentest to Nauar to se thy mother I shall neuer haue the ioye that I had before Than therle caused his barbour to shaue hym and clothed him selfe in blacke and all his house and with moche sore wepyng the childe was borne to the Freres in Ortaise and there buryed Thus as I haue shewed you the erle of Foyz slewe Gascoyne his sonne but the kynge of Nauar gaue the occasyon of his dethe ¶ Howe sir Peter of Byerne had a stronge dysease and of the countesse of Bisquay his wyfe Cap. xxvii WHan I had herde this tale of the dethe of Gascone sonne to the erle of Foyz I hadde great pytie therof for the loue of therle his father whome I founde a lorde of hyghe recoÌ„mendacyon noble lyberall and curtesse And also for loue of the countrey that shulde be in great stryfe tor lacke of an heyre Than I thanked the squyer and so departed fro hym but after I sawe him dyuers tymes in the erles house and talked often tymes with hym And on a tyme I demauÌ„ded of hym of sir Peter of Byerne bastarde brother to therle of Foyz bycause he semed to me a knyght of great valure wheder he were riche and maryed or no. The squyer aunswered sayd Truely he is maryed but his wyfe and chyldren be nat in his company And why sir quod I I shall shewe you quod the squier ¶ This sir Peter of Bierne hathe an vsage that in the night tyme whyle he slepeth he wyll ryse arme hym self and drawe out his swerde and fyght all aboute the house and can nat tell with whome and than gothe to bedde agayne And whan he is wakynge his seruautes do shewe hym howe he dyde And he wolde saye he knewe nothymg therof and howe they lyed soÌ„tyme his seruautes wolde leaue non armure nor swerde in his chaÌ„bre whan he wold thus ryse fynde non armour he wolde make suche a noyse and rumoure as though all the deuylles of helle had ben in his chambre Than I demaunded yf he had great landes by his wyfe yes truely sir quod he But the lady by whom cometh the lande ioyeth of the profytes therof This sir Peter of Bierne hath but the fourthe parte Sir quod I where is his wyfe sir ê™ he she is in Castell with the kynge her cosyn her father was erle of Bisquay and was câ—syn germayne to kyng Dampeter who slewe him and also he wold haue had the lady to haue put her in prisone And he toke the possession of all the lande and as long as he lyued the lady had nothynge there And it was sayd to this lady who was countesse of Bisquay after the dyssease of her father Madame saue youre selfe for kyng Dampeter if he may gette you wyll cause you to dye or els put you in prisone He is so sore displeased with you bycause he sayth ye shulde report and beare wytnesse that he caused the quene his wyfe to dye in her bedde who was suster to the duke of Burbone and suster to the frenche quene your wordes he sayth are beleued rather thanÌ„e another bycause ye were preuy of her chambre And for this cause the lady Florens countesse of Bisquay departed out of her countre with a smalle company as the coÌ„mon vsage is to flye fro dethe as nere as men can So she went in to the countrey of Bascles and passed throughe it and so came hyder to Ortayse to the Erle and shewed hym all her aduenture The erle who had euer pyte of ladyes and damoselles reteyned her and so she abode with the lady of Carase a great lady in his countre As than this sir Peter of byerne his brother was but a yonge knyght and had nat thanne this vsage to ryse a nyghtes as he dothe nowe The erle loued hym well and maryed hym to this lady and recouered her land â–ª And so this sir Peter had by this lady a sonne and a doughter but they be with their mother in Castell who be as yet but yong therfore the lady wolde nat leaue them with their father Ah saynt Mary quod I howe dyde sir Peter of Bierne take this fantasy First that he dare nat slepe alone in his chambre and that whan he is a slepe ryseth thus and maketh all that be synesse they are thynges to be marueyled at By my faithe quod the squyer he hath ben often demaunded therof but he saythe he can nat tell wherof it cometh The first tyme that euer he dyde so was the night after that he had ben on a day a huntynge in the wodes of Bisquay and chased a marueylous great Beare and the beare had slayne four of his houndes and hurt dyuers so that none durst come nere him than this sir Peter toke a swerde of Burdeanx and came in great yre for bycause of his houndes and assayles the beare and fought longe with hym and was in great parell and tooke great payne or he coulde ouercome hym Finally he slewe the beare and than retourned to his lodgyng to the castell of LaÌ„guedon in Bisquay made the beare to be brought with him Euery man had marueyle of the greatnesse of the beest and of the hardnesse of the knight howe he durst assayle the beare And whanÌ„e the countesse of Bisquayes wyfe sawe the beare she fell in a sowne and had great dolour and so she was borne in to her chambre and so all that day the night after and the nexte day she was sore disconforted and wolde nat shewe what she ayled On the thirde dayeshe sayd to her husbande Sir I shall nat be hoole tyll I haue been a pylgrimage at saynt Iames. Sir I praye you gyue me leaue to go thyder and to haue with me my sonne and Adrian my doughter her husbande agreed therto She toke all her golde towels and treasure with her for she thought neuer to retourne agayne wher of her husbande toke no hede So the lady dyde her pylgrimage and made an errande to go and se the kynge of Castell her cosyn and the quene They made her good chere and ther she is yet and wyll nat retourne agayne nor sende her chyldren And so thus the next night that this sir Peter had thus chased the beare and slayne hym while he slept in his bedde this faÌ„tasy toke hym And it was said that the countesse his wyfe knewe well as sone as she sawe the beare that it was the same that her father dyde ones chase And in his chasyng he herde a voyce and sawe nothynge that sayd to him Thou chasest me and I wolde the no hurte therfore thou shalt dye any yuell dethe Of this the lady had remembraunce whan she sawe the beare by that she had herde her father saye
Mare and Donbare and he greatly praysed the sayd erle for he suffred hym to passe in maner as he desyred hym selfe Thus these men of warre of Scotlande departed and raunsomed their prisoners as soone as they myght ryght curttesly and so retourned lytell and lytell in to their owne countreis And it was shewed me and I beleue it well that the scottes had by reason of that iourney two hundred thousande frankes for raunsomyng of prisoners For sythe the batayle that was before Streuelyne in Scotlande where as sir Robert of Breuce sir Wyllyam Duglas sir Robert Versey sir Symon Freseyle and other scottes chased the Englysshmen thre dayes they neuer had iourney so ê“fytable nor so honorable for theÌ„ as this was Whan tidynges came to the other company of the scottes that were besyde Carlyle howe their company had distressed the Englysshe men besyde Octeburgh they were greatly reioysed displeased in their myndes that they had nat ben there Than they determyned to dislodge and to drawe in to their owne countreys seynge their other company were withdrawen thus they dislodged and entred in to ScotlaÌ„de ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue to speke of the scottes and of the Englysshe men for this tyme and lette vs retourne to the yonge Charles of Fraunce who with a great people wente in to Almaygne to bringe the duke of Guerles to reason WHan the Frenche kynge and all his armye were paste the ryuer of Muese at the bridge of Morsay they tooke the waye of Ardayn and of Lusenbourgh and alwayes the pyoners were before beatynge woodes and busshes makynge the wayes playne The duke of Iulyers and his countrey greatly douted the comyng of the Frenche kynge For they knewe well they shulde haue the fyrst assault and beare the fyrst burdone and the lande of Iulyers is a playne couÌ„trey In one day the men of warre shuld do moche doÌ„mage there and distroye wast all excepte the castelles and good townes Thus the Frenche kyng entred in to the couÌ„trey of Lusenbourgh and came to an abbey where as Vyncelant somtyme duke of Brabant was buryed there the kyng taryed two dayes Than he departed and toke the waye throughe Basconque and lodged within a leage where as the duches of Brabant laye Sâ—e sent worde of her beyng there to the duke of Burgoyn and he brought her in to the felde to speke with the kynge who receyued her right honourably and there coÌ„muned togyder Than the duches retourned to Basconque and thyder she was conueyed with sir IohnÌ„ of Vyen and sir Guy of Tremoile And the next daye the kyng went forwarde aprochyng to the lande of his enemyes and came to theÌ„ cryng in to Almayne on the fronters of the duchy of Iulyers but or he came so far forwarde Arnolde bisshop of Liege had been with the kyng and had greatly entreated for the duke of Iuliers that the kyng shulde nat be miscontent with hym though he were father to the duke of Guerles for he excused hym of the deflauÌ„ce that his sonne had made affyrmyng how it was nat by his knowlege nor consent Wherfore he sayd it were pytie that the father shulde beare the defaut of the sonne This excuse was nat suffycient to the kyng nor to his vncles For the entent of the kyng and his couÌ„sayle was without the duke of Iulyers wolde come and make other maner of excuse and to yelde hym selfe to the kynges pleasure his countrey shulde be the first that shulde beare the burdone Thanne the bysshoppe of Liege and the lordes of Hasbane and the counsayls of the good townes offred to the kynge and his counsayle holly the bysshoprike of Liege for his armye to passe and repasse payeng for their expenses and to rest and refresshe them there as long as it pleased them The kyng thanked them and so dyde his vncles and wolde nat refuse their offre for he knewe nat what nede he shulde haue after ⸪ ¶ Howe the duke of Iulyers came and excused hym selfe of the defyauÌ„ce that his sonÌ„e the duke of Guerles had made to the Frenche kyng and so became his subiecte of dyuers feates of armes done bytwene the frenchmen and the almayns before Rencongne Cap. C.xlviii THus the bisshoppe of Liege retourned to the duke of Iullyers and to the archebysshoppe of Coloigne and shewed theÌ„ what he had done and thervpon they toke aduyse The duke of Iuliers had great dout of cryling wastyng of his countrey and sent for the knightes of his countrey to haue their counsayle aduyse and dayly the Frenchmen aproched The lorde of Coucy who was in the vowarde and with hym a thousande speares and the duke of Lorayne with hym and the vicount of Meaulx with two huÌ„dred speares Whan the Frenche men aproched the fronters of Almayne than they rode toguyder in good order and lodged wisely for there were a thre huÌ„dred speares of lynsars almayns beyond the ryuer of Ryne gathered toguyder And they be noted to be the greattest pyllers and robbers of all the worlde And they alwayes pursued and coosted the Frenchmen to fynde them dispurueyed to do them doÌ„mage The Frenche men douted the same and durst neuer go â— forragyng but in great companyes And as I vnderstode sir Boucequant the elder and sir Loyes of Grache were retayned and brought to Nimay these sayd almayns rode alwayes couertly lyke byrdes flyeng in the ayre sekyng for their praye This made the Frenche men wyse and to be well ware Thus whan the Frenche kyng was come so forwarde as to the entre of the duchy of Iulyers The duke of Iulyers who wolde nat lese his countrey beleued the couÌ„sayle of the archebysshoppe of Coloyne and the bysshop of Liege These two entreated for hym to the kynge and brought the mater to that poynt that his laÌ„des were in rest and peace by meanes of suche condycions as foloweth These two prelates dyde so moche that they brought the duke of Iulyers in to the kynges preseÌ„ce and before his vncles the duke of Lorayne and other great lordes of Fraunce of the blode royall And whan he was before the kyng he kneled downe and wisely excused him of the defyauÌ„ce that his sonne had made and sayd howe his sonne was a foole and that he had neuer counsayle of hym to do as he dyde but dyde it of his owne wyll and offred the kyng sayeng Sir to the entent to bring hym to the knowledgynge of reason by your lycence I wyll go to hym and shewe hym his folly as quickely as I can and counsayle hym to coÌ„e and make his excuse before youre grace and your counsayle And if he wyll nat thus do but do agaynst my counsayle I shall abandon to you all the townes and castels in my countrey and to prouyde for men of warre and to make warre against hym tyll ye haue taken hym to mercy Than the kyng regarded his brother his vncles and his couÌ„saile and it semed to hym that this offre
he shulde go with him and thought that this companyons yet shulde se that he had founde somwhat and thought the same manne shulde do them some seruyce in their lodgynges and so Godynos rode on before on a lowe hackeney and the almayne folowed hym a foote with a hewynge axe on his necke wherwith he had wrought in the wode Godinos page lepte on his maysters courser and bare his bassenette and speare and folowed them halfe slepynge bycause he had rysen so early And the almayn who knewe nat whyder he shuld go nor what they wolde do with hym thought to delyuer hymselfe and came fayre and easely to Godynos and lyfte vp his are and strake hym suche a stroke on the heed that he claue it to the teth and so ouerthrewe hym starke deed the page knewe nat therof tyll he sawe his mayster fall Than the vyllayne fledde in to the wode and saued hymselfe This aduenture fell to Godinos wherwith suche as knewe hym were sore dyspleased and specyally they of Auuergne for he was the man of armes that was moste doughted of the englisshmen in those parties and he that dyd them most domage If he had been in prisone he shulde haue ben quyted out and if it had been for twenty thousande frankes ¶ Nowe lette vs retourne to the duke of Iulyers ¶ Howe the duke of Iuliers and the archebysshop of Coloygne departed fro the frenche kynge and wente to Nymay to the duke of Guerles and howe by their meanes he was reconsyled and brought to peace with the frenche kynge and with the duches of Brabante Cap. C.xlix YE knowe well as it hathe ben shewed here before howe the duke of Iulyers made his peace with the frenche king by meanes of the bysshoppes that treated in that behalfe and also to saye the trouthe the duke of Lorayne his cosyn toke great payne in the mater And as ye haue herde the duke promysed to go to his sonne the duke of Guerles and to cause hym to come to the kynges mercy or els to make hym warre Thus the duke of Iulyers was fayne to promyse or els all his countrey had ben loste Thus the duke of Iulyers and the archbysshoppe toke their iourney to go in to Guerles and passed the ryuer and came to Nymay where as the duke was who receyued his father with great ioye as he was bounde to do for there is nothynge so nere a man as his father and mother But he was nothynge glad of that he herde howe that the duke his father was agreed with the frenche kynge Than the duke of Iuliers and the bysshop shewed hym at length the hole mater in what case he and his lande stode in He made lytle therof for he was so sore alyed with the kynge of Englande that he wolde nat forsake hym for his herte was good englysshe and so excused hym selfe greatly and sayde to his father syr let me alone I wyll abyde the aduenture and if I take domage by reason of the frenche kynges comynge I am yonge ynough to beare it and to be reuenged herafter on some parte of the realme of Fraunce or vppon my neyghbours the brabansoys there is no lorde canne kepe warre without some domage sometyme lese and sometyme wynne Whan his father the duke of Iulyers herde hym so styffe in his opynyon he was sore dyspleased with him and sayd Sonne Willyam for whome make you youre warre and who be they that shall reuenge your domage Syr quod he the kynge of Englande and his puysaunce and I haue gret maruayle that I here no tydynges of the englysshe army that is on the see for if they were come as they haue promysed me to do I wolde haue wakened the frenche men oftener thanne ones or this tyme. What quod his father do you trust and abyde for the englysshmen they are so besyed in euery quarter that they wote nat to whome to entende The duke of Lancastre our cosyn lyeth at Bayon or at Burdeaux and is retourned out of Spayne in a small ordre and hath lost his men and tyme and he hath sente in to Englande for to haue mo men of armes and archers and he can nat get to the nombre of .xx. speares Also the englysshe men haue had but late in playne batayle a great domage in Northumberlande for all their chyualry aboute Newcastell vpon Tyne were ouerthrowen and slayne and taken so that as nowe the realme of Englande is nat in good quyete nor reste Wherfore it is nat for you to trust at this tyme on the englysshe men for of them ye shall haue no comforte Wherfore I coūsayle you to be ruled by vs and we shall make your peace with the frenche kyng shall do so moche that ye shall nouther receyue shame nor domage Syr quod the duke of Guerles howe may I with myne honoure acorde with the Frenche kynge though I shulde lese all my hole lande go dwell in some other place surely I wyll nat do it I am to sore alyed with the kinge of Englande and also I haue defyed the frenche kynge Thynke you that for feare of hym I shulde reuoke my wordes or breke my seale ye wolde I shulde be dyshonored I requyre you let me alone I shall defende my self right well agaynst them I set lytell by their thretenynges The waters and raynes and colde wethers shall so fight for me or the tyme of Ianyuer come that they shall be so wery that the hardyest of theym shall wysshe them selfe at home in their owne houses THus at the begynnynge of this treatie the duke of Iuliers and the bysshoppe of Coloyne coulde nat breke the duke of Guerles purpose and yet they were with hym a sixe dayes and euery day in counsayle And whan the duke of Iulyers sawe no otherways he began sore to argue against his sonne and sayd Sonne if ye wyll nat byleue me surely I shall dysplease you and as for your enherytaunce of the duchy of Iulyers ye shall neuer haue one foote therof but rather I shall gyue it to a straunger who shall be of puyssaunce to defende it agaynste you ye are but a foole if ye wyll nat beleue my counsayle Whan the duke of Guerles sawe his father inflamed with ire than to apease his displeasure sayd Sir than counsayle me to myne honour and at your desyre I shall leane therto for syr Iowe to you all obeysaunce and wyll do Than the duke of Iulyers sayde Sonne nowe ye speke as ye shulde do and I shall loke for your honoure asmoche as I wolde do for myne owne Than it was deuysed by great delyberacion of counsayle that for to saue the honoure on all parties that the duke of Guerles shulde go to the frenche kynge and to do hym honoure and reuerence as he ought to do to a Kynge and to make his excuse of the defyaunce that he had sente to the kynge and to say after this maner Syr trewe it is there was a letter
departed fro the cytie of Tholous with a fyue hundred horse and rode so longe that he came to Tarbe in Bygore and fro thence to Morloys in Bierne And the erle of Foiz who was signyfied of his comyng was ioyfull and coÌ„maunded all his offycers that the towne of Ortays shulde be well aparelled to receyue him for he sayd the marshals comynge pleased hym ryght well lodgynges for his men were made redy and the erle rode out in to the feldes to mete with hym and mothan thre hundred horses and there receyued hym with good chere And he was at Ortays a syre dayes and the marshall sayd to the erle howe the frenche kynge had great affection to se the countrey of Languedoc and to se hym Than the erle aunswered and sayd Syr the kynge shall be ryght welcome and gladde I wolde be to se hym yea but sir quod the marshall it is the kynges entension at his comyng playnely to knowe whether ye wyll holde you frenche or englissh for alwayes ye haue dissymuled out the warre for ye wolde neuer arme you for no desyre A sir quod the erle I thanke you in that ye haue shewed me somoche For syr though I wolde neuer arme me nor take no parte there hath been good cause why As for the warre bytwene Englande and FrauÌ„ce I haue nothynge to do therwith I holde my countrey of Bierne of no man but of good and the sworde What haue I to do to put my selfe in seruytude or in dyspleasure of one kynge or other yet I knowe well myne aduersaryes of Armynake haue done that in them is to bring me in the indyngnacion of bothe partyes for or the prince of Wales wente in to Spayne by the informacyon of the erle of Armynake the prince wolde haue made me warre he was so sore moued therto that he had done so and sir Iohan Chandos had nat broken his purpose but I thanke god alwayes I haue borne my selfe as mekely and as curteyssy as I coulde and shall do as longe as I lyue and whan I am deed let the maters go as they wyll Thus the erle of Foyze and the marshall passed the tyme togyder And at their departure the erle gaue hym a fayre courser a fayre mule and a nother good horse all thre togyther rychely sadylled and aparelled And he gaue to syr Roberte of Challus and to syr Rycharde Dolphyn to eche of them two huÌ„dred frankes and to fyue other squyers to eche of them fifty frankes Than the marshall toke leaue to departe to Tholous And I syr Iohan Froysart was there the same tyme and wolde haue departed fro Ortays with hym but the Erle of Foyze wolde nat suffre me and sayd I shulde nat as than departe So it behoued me to byde his pleasure Sir Loys departed fro Ortays and rode to Tarbe and the lorde Dolphyn of Bygore conueyed him and sir Peter of Calestan one of the erle of Foiz knyghtes ABoute the same season there was at Burdeaux a dede of armes done before the duke of Lancastre by fyue englisshmen of his owne house and fyue frenche menne some of theym were of the marshall of Fraunce house Fyrst by ser Pecton Dallagnie a gascone englyssh agaynst sir Mores Mannigmente frenche Seconde bytwene sir Aragon Raymon englysshe agaynst the bastarde of Chauigny Frenche The thyrde bytwene Loys Malapus capytayne of Agremortes frenche agaynst Iaquemyn Corne de Cerfe englysshe Fourthe bytwene Archambalte de Villyers frenche and the sonne of the lorde of Chaumonte gascone englysshe The fyfte by Willyam Foucalt frenche against the brother of the lorde of Chaumont englysshe And to se these armes acomplysshed dyuers knyghtes and squiers of Bierne of therle of Foiz house toke their way towarde Burdeaux I wente with them in company bytwene Ortars and Burdeaux is but .xxiiii. myle There we sawe the sayde armes done before saynte Andrews in the presence of the duke of Lancastre and the duches their doughter and other ladyes and damosels of the couÌ„trey These knightes were nat all armed at ones but euery man by hym selfe with his felowe aparte their armes were thre courses with a speare thre strokes with a sworde thre with an are and thre with a dagger and all a horsehacke And this they dyd in thre dayes and none of all tenne hurte but sir Raymon slewe the bastardes horse wherwith the duke of Lancastre was sore dysplesed and blamed greatly the knight bicause he bare his staffe so lowe and the duke gaue the bastarde one of his horses Whan this was accomplysshed euery man deê‘ted to their owne houses AN one after the duchesse of Lancastre ordayned to goo in to Castyle and to leade with her Katheryne her doughter who shulde haue in maryage the kynge of Castyls sonne And the duchesse entente was fyrste or she wolde entre in to Castyle to go to Mantuell where somtyme was the batayle bytwene kynge don Peter her father agaynste kynge Henry of Castyle and of sir Bertram of Clesquyn And there she purposed to make iuste enquiry where the kynge her father lay buryed and to dygge vp his bones and to haue them to the cytie of Cyuill and there to bury theym agayne rychly as it appertayned to a kynge In the begynnynge of Marche whanne the sonne beganne to mount and the dayes to encrease than the duches of Lancastre was redy with her doughter and so departed fro Burdeaux and went to Bayon and there the duke of Lancastre toke leaue of her and he retourned to Burdeaux And the ladyes rode forthe to Dape and there she was well receyued for the cyte of Dape was vnder the obeysaunce of the kynge of Englande There she rested two dayes and than passed throughe the countrey of Basquence and passed by the passe of Rouceualx and entred in to Nauerre and came to Panpilona and there founde the kyng of Nauer and the quene who receyued the duchesse honourably The quene of Nauer was suster to the kynge of Castyle The duches and her doughter were a monethe passynge throughe the realme of Nauer for they taryed with the Kynge and with the quene a certayne space and their costes and charges were borne and payed for Than they entred in to Spaygne and at the entre of the realme they founde of the kynge of Castyls seruauntes redy there to receyue theym acordynge as they were commaunded And than the yonge prince was called prince of Galyce ¶ Howe the duches of Lancastre departed fro the kynge of Castyle and wente to Mantuell to brynge her fathers bones to Ciuyll and howe the frenche kynge sent ambassadours to the erle of Foize to treate for the maryage of the duke of Berrey his vncle with the doughter of the erle of Boloyne Cap. C.lv. WHan all these matters were renewed and the maryage confyrmed than the duchesse of Lancastre lefte her doughter with the king with her yonge husbande that shulde mary her who was of the age of eight yeres the duches toke leaue
Englysshe men for he had ben dyuers tymes amonge them Thanne sir Wyllyam of Haynaulte purposed whyle he made his prouisyon to go in to Hollande to se his father Auberte erle of Heynaulte Hollande and zelande to the entente to speke with hym and to take leaue to go in to Englande He deê“ted fro Quesnoy in Haynault and rode tyll he came to Haye in Hollande where the erle his father was at that tyme. and there he shewed his father his purpose that he was in to go in to Englande to se the countrey his cosyns whom he had neuer sene Than therle his father answered and sayd Wyllyam my fayre son ye haue nothyng to do in EnglaÌ„de for nowe ye be by couenaunt of maryage alyed to the realme of Fraunce and your suster to be maryed to the duke of Burgoyne wherfore ye nede nat to seke none other alyaunce Dere father quod he I wyll nat go in to Englande to make any alyauÌ„ce I do it but to feest and make myrthe with my cosins there whom as yet I neuer sawe bycause the feest whiche shal be holden at London is publisshed abrode wherfore syth I am signifyed therof shulde nat go thyder it shulde be sayd I were proude presuptuous wher fore in the sauynge of myne honoure I wyll go thider therfore dere father I requyre you agree therto Sonne quod he do as ye lyste but I thynke surely it were better that ye taryed at home Whan the erle of Ostrenaunt sawe that his wordes contented nat his father he wolde speke no more therof but fell in other coÌ„municacion But he thought well ynough what he wolde do and so dayly sent his prouisyon towardes Calais Gomegynes the heraulde was sente in to Englande fro therle of Ostrenaunt to gyue knowlege to kynge Rycharde and to his vncles howe that he wolde come honorably to his feest at London Of those tidynges the kynge and his vncles were ryght ioyouse and gaue to the heraulde great giftes whiche after stode hym in great stede For after in the ende of his dayes he fell blynde I can nat tell if god were displeased with hym or nat in his dayes he lyued marueylously wherfore in his olde dayes and that he hadde loste his syght there were but fewe that were sorte therof Thus the erle of Ostrenaunt departed from Haye in Hollande and toke leaue of his father and so retourned to Quesnoy in Heynaulte to the couÌ„tesse his wyfe THis noble feest wherof I make meÌ„cyon was publysshed and cryed in dyuers places wherby knyghtes squyers and other aduaunsed them selfes to go thyder The erle Walleran of saynt Pole who as than had to his wyfe kyng Richarde of Englandes suster He prepared greatly to go in to Englande and so came to Calys And also the erle Ostrenaunt departed fro Heynaulte well accompanyed with knyghtes and squyers and so passed throughe the countrey of Arthoys and came also to Calis and there he founde the erle of saynt Poule and the shyppes passagers of Douer were there redy and whan the shippes were charged and the wynde good these lordes tooke the see howe be it as it was shewed me and I thynke it true that therle of saynt Poule passed first in to Englande before the erle of Ostrenaunt And whan he came to London he founde there the kyng and his brother in lawe sir Iohan Hollande and other lordes and knyghtes of Englande who receyued hym with great ioye and demauÌ„ded of hym tidynges of the realme of Fraunce He aunswered well wysely Than therle of Ostrenaunt passed ouer on a thursdaye and so caÌ„e to Cauterbury and on the friday he visyted saint Thomas shrine and offred there in the mornyng and laye there all that daye the nexte day rode to Rochester And bycause he had so gret a company and cariages he rode but small iourneys to ease his horse And on the sondaye he rode to dyner to Dertforde after dyuer to London to be at the feest whiche began the same sonday ON the sonday nexte after the feest of saynt Michaell this feest and tryuÌ„phe shulde begyn and that daye to be done in Smythfelde iustes called the chalenge So the same sonday about thre of the clocke at after noone there issued out of the towre of London first threscore coursers apparelled for the Iustes and on euery one a squier of honour ridyng a softe pase Than issued out threscore ladyes of honour mounted on fayre palfreys ridyng on the one syde richely apparelled and euery lady ledde a knight with a cheyne of syluer which knightes were apparelled to iust Thus they cam ridynge a longe the stretes of London with great nombre of trumpettes and other mynstrelles And so came to Smythfelde where the quene of Englande and other ladies and damoselles were redy in chaÌ„bres richely adorned to se the iustes and the king was with the quene And whan the ladyes that ledde the knyghtes were come to the place they were taken downe fro their palfreys they mouÌ„ted vp in to chambres redy aparelled for theÌ„ Than the squiers of honour alighted fro the coursers the knightes in good order mouÌ„ted on them than their helmes were sette on and made redy at all poyntes Than thyder came the erle of saynt Poule nobly accompanyed with knyghtes and squyers all armed with harnesse for the iustes to begynne the feest whiche incontynent beganne and there iusted all knyghtes straungers suche as wolde and hadde leysar and space for the nyght came on Thus these iustes of chaleng began and coÌ„tynued tyll it was night Than knyghtes and ladyes withdrue them selfes the quene was lodged besyde Poules in the bysshoppes palace and there was the supper prepared The same euennynge came therle of Ostrenaunt to the kyng who was nobly receyued ¶ Nowe for these iustes on the sonday For the aunswerer without The erle Walleran of saynt Poule had the price And of the chalengers the erle of Huntyngdon There was goodly dauÌ„syng in the quenes lodgyng in the presence of the kynge and his vncles and other barons of Englande and ladyes and damoselles contynuyng tyll it was daye whiche was tyme for euery persone to drawe to their lodgynges except the kyng and the quene who lay there in the Bysshoppes Palays for there they laye all the feestes and iustes duryng ON the nexte day whiche was mondaye ye myght haue sene in dyuers places of the cytie of London squyers and varlettes goynge aboute with harnesse and doynge of other busynesse of their maisters After noon kynge Richarde came to the place all armed richely apparelled accompanyed with Dukes erles lordes and knyghtes He was one of the inner partie Than the quene well accompanyed with ladyes and damosels came to the place where the iustes shulde be and mounted in to chaÌ„bres and scaffoldes ordayned for theÌ„ Than came in to the felde the erle of Ostrenaunte well accoÌ„panyed with knyghtes of his couÌ„trey and all were redy to iuste Than came the
than but pacyentely suffred howe be it he thought the more and at nyght came to his wyfe to supper shewed her more token of loue than euer he dyd befor and he dyd somoche with fayre wordes that the duchesse shewed him all the matter and howe that she knewe it by syr Peter of Craon than the duke spake no more at that tyme. that nyght passed and the nexte day about nyne of the clocke he toke his horse and rode fro the howse of saynte Poll to the castell of Lowre where he founde the kynge his brother heryng of masse The kyng swetelye receyued hym for he loued hym entyerly and the kynge sawe well by the dukes maner that he had some dyspleasure in his mynde and said Ah fayre brother what is the mater it semeth ye be troubled Syr quod he good cause why Wherfore quod the kynge I praye you shewe me The duke who wolde hyde no thynge fro the kynge shewed hym all the hole mater and complayned greatly agaynst syr Peter of Craon and sayd Syr by the faythe that Iowe to god and to you if it were nat for your honoure I wolde slee hym We shall do well ynough quod the kynge he shall be warned by our counsayle to auoyde our house and seruyce and in lykewyse cause him to auoyde your house and company I am well content with this ê™ the duke The same day the lorde de la Ryuer and sir Iohan Mercyer sayd vnto syr Peter of Craon on the kynges behalfe that he shulde auoyde the kynges courte and seruyce and go where he lyste In lykewyse syr Iohan of Buell and the lord of Dernaulx seneschall of Thourayne gaue hym lyke commaundement on the duke of Thourayns behalfe Whan syr Peter of Craon sawe this he was abasshed and tooke it in great dyspyte and coude nat ymagyn why it shulde be And trewe it was he desyred to come in to the kinges presence and the dukes to know the cause of their dyspleasure But he was aunswered that nother the kynge nor the duke wolde nat here hym speke Whan he sawe none other remedy he apparelled hym selfe and departed out of Parys in great displeasure in his hert and so rode into Aniou to a castell of his owne called Sable and taryed there a season fore troubled in his mynde He sawe well he was chased out of the frenche courte and out of the house of Thourayn and also out of the house of the quene of Naples and Iherusalem than whan he parceyued these thre howses closed fro hym he thought to go to the duke of Bretaygne his cosyn and to shewe hym all his aduentures so he dyd and rode in to Bretayne and founde the duke at Wannes who made hym good chere and knewe somwhat before of his trouble And than this syr Peter shewed hym all the case Whan the duke of Bretaygne had well herde all the mater he sayde Fayre cosyn recomforte your selfe all this is surely brought aboute by syr Olyuer of Clysson THis rote and foundacyon of hatred multyplyed greatly after as ye shall here in this hystory Syr Peter of Craon taryed so longe with the duke of Bretaygne that he forgate Fraunce for the constable syr Olyuer of Clysson and the kynges counsayle were agaynste hym and also they were nat contente with the duke of Bretayne in that he kepte sir Peter Craon in his house As for the duke of Bretaygne cared nat greatly neyther for the good wyll nor yuell wyll of the Frenche kynge he prouyded suffyciently for his cyties townes and castelles in suche wyse that he loued as well warre as peace And all that euer he dyd was well knowen in Fraunce and with the kinges counsayle and suche as were nexte aboute the kynge reputed the duke of Bretaygne prowde and presumptuous and thretened him greatly but the duke dyde sette lytell therby and sayde that he wolde make warre agaynst the erle of Pointhieur in a iuste quarell for the erle of Pointhyeur our cosyn wryteth and nameth hym selfe Iohan of Bretayne as though he were herytour of this countrey I wyll he be called Iohan for that is his name and erle of Pointhieur and I wyll he put out of his armes the Ermyns and write himselfe Iohan of Bloys or of Chatellon and none other and if he wyll nat do thus I shall cause him to do it and take fro hym his lande for he holdeth it by faythe and homage of vs as for the herytage of Bretaygne he hathe nothynge to do therwith so that it shulde returne to him for I haue bothe sonnes and doughters that shall be myne heyres Let hym purchase hym landes in some other place for as of this he hath fayled Thus often tymes the duke of Bretayne wolde deuyse with sir Peter of Craon who wolde nat replye agaynst his pleasure but rather dyd further it and all for the yuell wyll that he bare to the constable syr Olyuer of Clysson and to the counsayle of Fraunce ⸪ ¶ Nowe let vs leaue spekynge of this mater and treate a lytell of another pytuous mater concernynge the erle Guy of Bloys of whom mencyon is made here before in this hystory ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the dethe of the yonge erle Loyes of Chastelone sonne to the erle Guy of Bloys Cap. C.lxxix IT hath been shewed here before in this hystory whanÌ„e I spake of the alyauÌ„ce and maryage of Lois of Chatellon sonne to the erle of Bloys maryed to the lady Marye doughter to duke Iohan of Berrey and at the confyrmacyon of this maryage the duke of Berrey prouyded greatly for his doughter for she was assigned for her dowry in the couÌ„tie of Bloys the somme of syxe thousande pounde money corante in Fraunce to be payed in florayns if the foresayd Loys of Bloys dyed before his wyfe than all the countie of Blois to be bouÌ„de to pay these foresayd syre thousande frankes And so it fortuned that about the feest of saint Iohan the Baptyste in the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hundred fourscore and a leuen this yonge Loys of Bloys sonne to the erle Guy departed fro his father fro the castell of Moltyz in Bloys to go in to Haynalt to se his mother and wyfe and whan he came to Beaumonte in Haynault he fell sycke of a feuer by reason that he had rydden great iourneys and the season was boote and he was but yuell kepte and but tendre of age as of xiiii yeres by whiche syckenes he dyed with out helpe for the physycions coulde nat put a way his hote feuer ye maye well knowe that the father and mother were ryght soroufull whan they knewe of the dethe of thier sonne and heyre In lykewyse so was his wyfe the yonge lady of Berrey who loued hym entierly and thought her selfe hyghtly maryed specyally the trouble of the father was right gret for he ymagyned that the duke of Berrey was ryght couetouse and feared leste he wolde entre in to the countie of Bloys
erle Dolphyn of Auuergne who had ben as an hostager in Englande and moche in the duke of Lacasters company and loued hym very well He came and humbly saluted the duke of Lancaster Whan the duke sawe him he enbrased hym in great token of loue and spake toguyder a lytell Than the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne came to them the duke of Burbon the lorde Coucy and therle of â—aynt Poule came to the duke of yorke the erle of Huntyngton and to sir Thomas Percye and so â—ode talkyng togyder with amorous wordes tyll they aproched the cytie of Amyence Than the duke of Lancastre rode bytwene the duke of Berrey and the duke of Burgoyn Thus they rode all thre in a front makyng honour eche to other tyll they came to the bysshoppes palais where the kynge the duke of Thourayne was There they a lighted and the two dukes ledde the duke of Laâ—castre vp the steres and the other dukes and lordes folowed Than the Frenche lordes came in to the kynges presence made their reuerence and lefte the Englysshe dukes standyng alone Than a lytell they enclined them selfe to the kyng than the kyng caâ—e to them and toke them by the handes lytte them vp and spake swetely to them they to hym and other lordes of Fraunce fell in talkynge with the other lordes of Englande whan they had coÌ„maned a season they toke their leaue of the kyng his brother vncles and departed were conueyed to their lodgynges by the coÌ„stable of Fraunce the lorde Coucy the erle of saynt Poule sir Iohan of Vyenne and other Lordes of the realme of Fraunce Than they toke their leaues deê‘ted agayne to the kyng and the lady of Irelande doughter to the lorde Coucy was lodged in her fathers lodging all her coÌ„pany IT was ordayned by the freÌ„che kyng his counsayle before thenglysshe lordê came to the cytie of Amyence whiche ordynauÌ„ce was publysshed and proclamed openlye to th entent that no ê‘sone shulde be ignorant therof but euery man to beware of â—re kyng of any artycle in the proclamacion on payne of lefyng of their heedes First that no maner of person make any riot or gyue any riotous wordes to any Englysshman also that no knight nor squier speke or make any chalenge of armes to any englysshman on payne of the kynges highe displeasure they to company with the with swete wordes and goodly behauour in that towne lodgyngê or felde nor that the Frenche pages make any debate nor riotte in any place on payne of dethe And what soeuer any englysshman demauÌ„deth to suâ—â—re them pesably to haue it that no hoâ—t nor vitayler demaunde any money outher for meate or drinke nor for other suche coÌ„men charges Also it was ordayned that no knight nor squyer of Fraunce shuld go by night tyme without torche or torches and that the englysshmen shulde go at their pleasure without any coÌ„trolement that if any freÌ„chman mete any Englysshman in the night in any strete that they shulde swetely gently conuey him or theÌ„ to their lodgyng or to their company Also it was ordayned that in four places of the cyte four watches to be set of a thousande men in euery watche and that if any fyre happe to fall in the nyght by any incydence the watche in no wyse to remoue for no maner of cause but at the so wnynge of a bell all other people to drawe to queÌ„che the fyre Also it was ordayned that no freÌ„ch knight nor squier for no maner of cause shulde presume to speke to the king wtout the kyng fyrst dyde call hym Nor also that the knightes nor squyers of Fraunce shulde talke nor comune toguyder as long as any of the Englysshe men were present But to fynde comunynge and pastyme with theym Also it was ordayned that all hostes and their seruauntes in anywyse shulde nat conuey or hyde any Bowes or Arrowes or any other thynge parteyninge to the Englysshe men without makynge of large amendes without it were gyuen them by the Englysshmen of their curtesy than to take it or els nat All these thynges were determyned by delyberacyon or good counsayle to do the Englysshe men the more honoure for they trusted of a good conclusyon of peace Nighe euery day a fiftene dayes toguyder these lordes were in counsayle and brought nothyng to coÌ„clusyon for their demaundes were greatly different The Frenche men demaunded to haue Calais rased and beaten downe in suche wyse that no persone shulde dwell there after The Englysshe men wolde in no wyse agree to that treatie for it ought to be beleued that Calais was the towne of the worlde that the coÌ„mons of Englande loued best for as longe as they be lordes of Calays They sayde they bare the kayes of Fraunce vnder their gyrdell Thoughe the lordes departed euery daye vnagreed yet they departed a soÌ„der right amiably for euery daye they poynted to were agayne the nexte day bothe parties trustyng at last to coÌ„clude on some good poynt The frenche kyng made thenglysshe men in that space thre notable dyners at his palais In lykewise so dyde the duke of Thourayne the duke of Berrey the duke of Burgoyne the duke of Burbone the lorde of Coucy and the erle of saynt Poule Eche of these made the Englysshe men a great dyner And for euery thyng that the Englysshmen toke in the towne was payd for and clerkes apoynted by the kynge and his counsayle to write euery thyng and euery man apoynted for their money to the chambre of accomptes It ought to be knowen that Iohan duke of Lancastre and his brother the duke of yorke for all that they were come thyder on trust of peace yet they had charge of the kyng of Englande and of his counsayle that what soeuer treatie they made in no wise they shulde nouther gyue nor take any maner of thynge MAny were of the opynion that the coÌ„mynaltie of Englande rather enclyned to warre than to peace for in the tyme of good kyng Edwarde the thirde and of his sonÌ„e the prince of Wales they had so many fayre and highe vyctories on the frenche men and so great conquestes with so moche money for raunsomes sellyng and patesynge of townes countreis that they were become marueylous riche for many suche as were no gentylmen of byrthe by reason of their hardynesse and valyaunt aduentures wan and conquered so moche golde and syluer that they became noble and rose to great honour And so such as folowed after wolde folowe the same lyfe how beit after that dayes of the sayd kyng Edwarde and the prince his sonne by the wysdome and highe enterprice of sir Bertram of Clesquy and by the ayde of other good knyghtes of FrauÌ„ce The Englysshmen were than agayne sore put backe The duke of Gloucestre sonne to the sayde kynge Edwarde and vncle as than to kyng Richarde than beyng at Amyence dyuers other lordes knightes and squyers were of
to pertaygne to the kynge and realme of Englande They hadde alleged to the kynge and his counsayle that his gyfte myght nat passe so bycause it was vnprofytable and mutyle For they sayd all those landes helde of right and of the demayne of the crowne of Englande Wherfore they sayde they wolde nat disioyne nor disceuer theÌ„ fro the crowne They alleged furthermore many other reasonable causes as ye shall here after in this processe But thus to haue coâ—sayle of those two great matters the kynge had sente for the moost parte of the prelates and lordes of Englande to be at the feest of Maudelyntyde at a manner of the kynges called Eltham a seuyn Englysshe myles fro London And whan they had taryed at Ledes a four dayes the kyng retourned to Rochester and so to Elthame so I rode forthe in the kynges company ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the refuce of them of Acquytayne made to the duke of Lancastre and howe they sent in to Englande to the kynge and his counsayle shewyng hym the wyll of the hole couÌ„trey of Acquytayne Cap. CC.i. IN rydynge the waye bytwene Leades and Eltham I demaunded of syr Willyam Lysle and of syr IohnÌ„ of Graily capitayne of Bouteuyll the cause why the king drewe to London warde and why that great counsayle shulde assemble at Eltham They tolde me and specially syr Iohan Graily rehersed to me playnly why the lordes of Gascon were come thyder and the counsaylours of the good townes and cyties thus I was enfourmed by this knight who knewe the trouth for he was often tymes amonge theym they and he were in a maner all of one countrey and fronter he sayde thus Surely whan the Duke of Lancastre came fyrst in to Acquytayne suffycyently fournysshed with charters and wrytinges engrosed and sealed with the great seale of Englande and enrolled and fermely decreed with full accorde of all prelates and lordes of Englande and also by consente of the duke Edmonde of yorke and Erle of Cambridge and of Thomas duke of Gloucestre though the sayd herytages might by succession haue come to them for Kynge Rycharde of Englande their nephue had as than no chyldren and these sayd two dukes were brethern germayns of father and mother to the duke of Lancastre whiche duke anone after he was come in to Acquytayne sente some of his counsayle to the cytie of Burdeaux to shewe to the Mayre counsaylours of the towne the fourme and tenoure of his request and for what cause he was come in to the countrey Whan they herde this they greatly marueyled howe be it they ioyfully receyued the kynges and dukes coÌ„myssioners for the honoure of the kynge to whome they ought their seruyce and obeysaunce Than they desyred to take couÌ„sayle and so they dyd Than after they aunswered and said that the duke of Lancastre sonne to kynge Edwarde who had ben their lorde was welcome amoÌ„ge them and none otherwyse for they sayde they had nat so farre forthe taken counsayle as to receyue hym to their souerayne lorde for they sayd that to kyng Rycharde their soueraygne lorde they had done feaultie and homage and as than he had made them no quytaÌ„ce Than aunswered the coÌ„myssioners and sayd Syrs feare nat but that ye shall haue suffycient dyscharge in that behalfe so ye take the duke to your souerayne lorde for ye shall se by the content of the kinges charters that there shall neuer questyon be made therof in tyme to come WhanÌ„e they of Burdeaux sawe they were so nere touched they founde theym another socoure and sayd Fayre lordes your coÌ„myssion extendeth nat all onely vpon vs but in lykewyse to them of the cytie of Bayon and to the prelates and barones of Gascoyne and to all that be vnder the obeysaunce of the kynge of Englande ye shall drawe you towardes them and as they do and ordre theÌ„ we shall folowe the same Other aunswere the coÌ„myssioners coulde nat haue at that tyme of them of Burdeauâ— Than they departed and rode to Lyborne where the duke of Lancastre laye WHan the duke herde their aunswers he imagyned in hymselfe that the â—â—synesse that he was come thyder for shulde nat be so sone atcheued as he trusted it shulde haue ben Than he sent his couÌ„sayle to the cytie of Bayon and as they sped in Burdeaux so they dyd there other answere coude they haue none And fynally all the prelates and noble men counsaylours of cytes good townes in Gascoyne vnder the obeysaunce of the kyng of Englande conioyned them togyder and concluded in the forme and manner as I shall shewe you They sayde they wolde gladly receyue the duke of Lancastre in to their cytâ—es townes and castelles as the sonne of kyng Edwarde and vncle to kinge Rycharde of EnglaÌ„de so that at his entringes he shulde solemply swere that pesably and in good maner he and his shulde entreat the people with out enforsynge of any thynge and to pay reasonably for euery thynge that they shulde dispende and also to swere that he shulde nat oppresse nor cause to be oppressed the iurysdictyon of the Crowne of Englande by no maner of waye nor accyon The duke aunswered to this and sayd that he was nat come in to the countrey to greue or oppresse the people but wolde rather kepe and defende them agaynst all men as his herytage and desyred and requyred theym that the coÌ„maundement of the kynge of Englande myght be obserued and acomplisshed Than the hole countrey by a comune voyce sayd that in no wyse they wolde departe fro the crowne of Englande and that it was nat in the kynge of Englandes power to gyue them away to another lorde nor to put them fro the crowne of Englande These demaundes and denyenges were longe a debatyng bytwene the duke of Lancastre and the lordes and townes of Gascon And whan the duke sawe none other remedy than he made request to the countrey that the prelates and noble men and couÌ„saylours of the good townes shulde sende suffycient personages to the kynge of Englande and to his counsayle and howe he wolde sende in lykewyse notable persones of his counsayle and loke what so euer the kyng and his counsayle shulde determyne in that cause he promysed surely to abyde ther by whether it were with hym or agaynst him Than they of Gascon consydred well that his request was reasonable and agreed to do as the duke had desyred Than the duke rode to Burdeaur and was lodged in the abbey of saint Andrewes where he had ben lodged before tyme. Than they of the cytie of Bayon and Dar apoynted suffycient personages to sende in to Englande and the barons of Gascon vnder the kinges obeysaunce sent in lyke wyse Also ye shall knowe that whan the frenche kyng and his vncles vnderstode that the duke of Laucastre was peasably entred in to the cytie of Burdeaux and knewe nat for what entent nor whether he wolde kepe or breake the trewce Than he and his counsayle
this tyme I wotte nat where better to enploye myselfe in any dede of armes wherin I wolde gladly knowe youre pleasure I wolde go in that honourable voyage with a hundred knyghtes and beare company with my fayre brother the duke of Burgoyne and my lady the duches shall can me gret thanke and many knyghtes and squyers of Haynalt wyll gladly holde me company Than duke Aubert as a man redy purueyed of aunswere sayd Guylliam what haste or wyll haue you to go in this voyage in to Hungery and in to Turkey to seke armes vpon people and countrey that neuer dyd vs any forfeyte thou hast no tytell of reason to go but for the vayneglory of the worlde Lette Iohan of Burgoyne and our cosins of Fraunce do their enterprise and do thy dedes aparte go thou in to Frese and conquere our herytage that these fresones by pride and rudenes do witholde fro vs and wyll come to none obeysaunte and to do this I shall ayde the. The wordes of the father to the sonne lyghtened greatly the herte of therle of Ostrenant who aunswered and sayd My lorde ye saye well and if it please you that I shall do that voyage I shall do it with ryght a good wyll ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the erle of Ostrenant enterprised to go in to Frese Cap. CC.vii THese wordê bytwene the father the sonne multyplyed so moche lytell and lytell that the voyage in to Frese was taken and enter prised and one thynge helped moche the matter forwarde and that was The erle of Ostrenant had at that tyme aboute hym and nere of his counsayle a squyer of Haynalte called Ferebrase otherwise called the bastarde Vertayne a wyse man and a subtyll in feates of armes so that whan he herd of this he said to the erle Syr my lorde your father speketh well it is better for your honour that ye make this voyage rather than in to Hungery and ordayne you therto and ye shall fynde knyghtes and squyers of Haynalt and elswhere that wyll be gladde to kepe you company and shall ayde you to their powers to do this enterprise and if ye haue mynde thus to do I wyll counsayle you to go in to EnglaÌ„de and to signyfy your enterprise to the knyghtes and squyers there and pray the kynge of Englande your cosyn that he wyll gyue lycence to knyghtes squyers and archers to go with you in to Frese at your wages englysse men be men of dedes and if ye haue them ye shall do your businesse the better And if ye may haue by prayer your cosyn therle of Derby in your company your voyage shall be moche the fayrer and your enterprise the more renomed The erle enclyned to those wordes for it semed to hym that his counsayle was good In lykewyse the lorde Gomegynes gaue hym counsayle and so dyd dyuers other These wordes anone spredde abrode in Haynalte Than there was acommaundement made to all knyghtes and squiers in Heynalt that none of theym shulde go out of the couÌ„trey to go in to Hungrey nor in to no place els bycause the erle of Ostrenant shulde ocupy them another waye and shulde leade them in to Frese We shall leaue speakynge of this busynesse and retourne to the voyage in to Hungery THus knyghtes and squiers in many parties had cause to awake and to take corage for the warres that were towarde in that season as well for the voyage in to Hungery as in to Frese The erle of Neuers auaunced his iourney and all knyghtes and Squyers were named and written that shulde go with him prouision was great and well ordeyned and for that he wolde be renomed in this voyage he was lyberall and mad great larges to many knyghtes and squyers that shulde go in his bande for the voyage was long and costely wherfore it was nedefull for theÌ„ to haue some ayde towardes their charges and the other lordes as the constable of FrauÌ„ce and the erles of Ewe and Marche the lordes Henry and Phylippe of Bare the lorde of Coucy the lorde Guy of Tremoyle the lorde Iohan Vyen admyrall of Fraunce Boucyquant marshall of Fraunce and Raynolde du Roy the lordes of saynt Powle of Mutterell and of saynte Pye the Hasell of Flaunders the lorde Loys of Brese his brother le Bourge of Montquell and other they were to the nombre of a thousande knyghtes and a thousande squyers all valyaunt men Euery man departed fro their owne houses about the myddes of marche and so rode forth by companyes and alwayes they founde the wayes open for the kynge of Almayne had coÌ„mauÌ„ded through all his realme of Almayne and Boesme that they shulde haue all thynges necessary and that no vytayle shulde be witholden fro them These lordes of FrauÌ„ce thus rode forwarde to the ayde of the kyng of Hungery who shulde haue batayle with the great turke puyssaunce agaynst puyssaunce the twenty day of the moneth of May. These lordes passed Lorayne the countie of Bare the countie of Mountbelyart and the duchy of Burgoyn and entred into Ausay and passed the couÌ„trey and the ryuer of Rynâ—â—â— many places and the countie of Fierte and so entered in to Austriche whiche is a great couÌ„trey and the entres and issues stronge and great desertes but they went with so good wyll and corage that payne and traueyle greued them nothyng The duke of Austriche made capytaynes in his countrey suche as made the lordes good chere and specyally to IohnÌ„ of Burgoyne who was chiefe of that army All these lordes were apoynted to assemble in a cytie in Hungery called Bode ¶ Nowe let vs speke of other maters yE haue herde here before howe the kynge of England had sente in the same season suffycient ambassade to the frenche kyng and to his counsayle to haue to his wyfe Isabell the doughter of Fraunce whiche ambassadours were the archebysshop of Duuelyn the bysshoppe of Wynchester the erle Marshall the erle of Rutlande sonne to the duke of yorke the lorde Henry Clyfforde the lorde Beamonde the lorde Spenser and many other the frenche kyng had made them good chere and all his vncles and counsayls whiche ambassade were retourned in to Englande vpon good hope to atayne to their desyres The kynge of Englande for his parte all the wynter folowynge often tymes sent to the frenche kynge consernynge the sayd maters who was well enclyned to haue peace and to haue ende of the warre whiche had ouer longe endured These pursutes and treaties toke suche effect and the two kynges had writen so solemply eche to other that their maters drewe nere to apoynte so that suche ambassadours as were fyrst sent out of Englande in to Fraunce were than sente agayne and came to Parys and were lodged at the crosse of Tyroner and their men in the streat there aboute They were to the nombre of syxe hundred Thus they soiourned at Parys more than thre wekes ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the iudgemeÌ„t made in the parlyament for the quene
he was in wyl to do dedes of armes and that the turkes were on the felde haue gyuen knowlege before he assayled his enemyes to his hed capitayne the lorde Iohan of Burgoyne that he myght haue had the renome and honour of that enterprise Besemynge the erle of Ewe spake those wordes by enuy that he had to the lorde of Coucy for all that voyage he had no loue to him bycause he sawe howe the lorde of Coucy had the loue fauour of all his company and of other straūgers whiche he deserued ryght well to haue for he was ryght nere of the frenche Kynges blode and bare in his armes floure de lyces and also he was cōstable of Fraunce Thus there engendred a great hate and yuell wyll couertly bytwene the erle of Ewe and the lorde Coucy whiche hatred at last apered clerely wherby great myschefe fell the same seasone vpon the crysten men as ye shall here after ¶ Nowe we we shall leaue to speke any more at this tyme of this mater and retourne to speke of the kynges of Englande and of Fraunce ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the peace bytwen Englande and Fraūce contynued and of the maryage of the kynge of Englande with the doughter of Fraunce Cap. CC.xiii YE haue herde here before of the mariage of the french kynges doughter with the kynge of England the whiche tyme aproched nere and bothe parties well wyllynge excepte duke Thomas of Gloucestre he was nothynge ioyfull therof for he sawe well that by that maryage there shulde be great confyderacyons and alyaunces bytwene the two kynges and their Realmes to lyue in peace whiche he was lothe to se for he desyred rather to haue warre The same season the duke had aboute hym a knyght called syr Iohan Baquegay a secrete man and he set alwayes the duke to haue warre The same seasone also the duke of Guerles came in to Englande to se the kynge and his vncles and offred hym selfe to do any lawfull seruyce to the kynge that he myght do he was bounde therto by faythe and homage and he wolde gladly that the kynge shulde haue had watre rather than peace This duke and the duke of Lancastre had great cōmunycacyon togyder of the voyage that the erle of Haynalt and the erle of Ostenaunt his sonne wolde make in to Frese The same tyme Fyerebrase of Vertayne was in Englande sente thyder fro the erle of Ostrenant to gette men of armes and archers to go in that voyage to Frese The erle of Derby was desyred to go in that voyage in aydinge of his cosyns of Heynalt The gentle erle hadde therto good affectyon and sayde howe he wolde ryght gladly go in that voyage so that it pleased the kynge and his father Whan the duke of Guerles came fyrst in to Englande the Duke of Lancastre demaunded of him what he thought of that voyage in to Frese He aunswered and sayd that it was a parylous voyage and the Frese was a countrey nat lyghtly to be wonne sayenge howe in tymes past there had been dyuers erles of Holande and Heynalte that haue claymed their right there and gone thyder to haue put them in subiectyon but they haue always lost their lyues there affyrmynge howe the fresons are people without honour and haue no mercy they prayse nor loue no lorde in the worlde they be so proude and also their countrey is stronge for they be enuyroned with the see and closed in with isses rockes and marysshes no man can tell howe to gouerne them but them selfe I haue ben desyred to go in that voyage but I wyll nat and I counsayle my cosyn your sonne the erle of Derby nat to entre in to that voyage it is no iourney for hym I thynke my fayre brother of Ostrenant wyll go for he hath great desyre therto and wyll haue a bande of haynowayes with hym it shall be an aduenture if euer they retourne Whiche wordes caused the Duke of Lancastre to thynke that his sonne shulde nat go in that voyage and so shewed his sonne his entente and badde hym delaye that mater for the kynge nor he wolde nat that he shulde go Thus the duke of Guerles dyd lette the ayde that the erle of Haynalte shulde haue had of the erle of Derby Many thought it was nat well counsayled nor yet for none of their honours The duke of Guetles all his lyfe naturally was Enuyous presumptuous and proūde yet for all that Fierebrase of Vertayn lette nat his sute to gette ayde and dyd so his dyligence that he gate knightes and squyers and a two hundred archers But the erle of Derby excused himselfe whiche excuse he was fayne to take in gree and sawe well that his wyll was good to go if the kynge and his father had nat been Than the kynge for the auauncement of his cosyns of Haynalte made to be ordeyned in the ryuer of Thamyse vesselles and shyppes for the men that shulde go in that voyage to Frese to aryue at Encuse a towne in the countie of Haynalt at the entre in to Holande This towne standeth on the see within twelue leages by water of the realme of Frese THe same season was sente in to Englande fro the frenche kynge the erle Valeran of saynt Powle with certayne artycles concernynge the treatie of the peace and with him was sent Robert the Hermyte whome the kynge of Englande was gladde to here speke The erle of saint Powle founde the kynge of Englande and his bretherne the erles of Brenne and of Huntyngdon and the duke of Lancastre the kynges vncles at the manour of Eltham The kynge receyued him ioyously and herde well his message and sayd to hym a parte Fayre brother of saynt Powle as to the treatie of peace bytwene me and my fayre father of Fraunce I am right well enclyned therto but I all alone canne nat promote that mater True it is my bretherne and my two vncles of Lācastre and yorke enclyne ryght well therto but I haue another vncle the duke of Gloucestre who is ryght paryllous and a marneylous man he letteth it as moche as he can and dothe what he canne to drawe the Londoners to his opynyon I feare me to make a rebellyon in my realme and that he shulde reyse the people agaynst me whiche is a great paryll for if the people of Englande ryse agayne agaynst me and haue myne vncle of Gloucestre on their parte and suche other barones and knyghtes of the realme as be of his opynion my realme were loste without remedy for myne vncle of Gloucestre is so secerte that no man canne knowe his mynde Syr quod the erle of saint Powle it behoueth you to wynne hym with fayre swete and louynge wordes and gyue hym great gyftes if he demaunde any thyng graunt it him this is the way wherby ye shall wynne him ye must flatter hym tyll the peace be made and that ye haue your wyfe brought hyther to you and that doone than ye maye take other counsayle
all and ye se well howe fortune is agaynst vs and how we be in daunger of this kynge therfore to saue our lyues make vs rather greater than we be in dede and shewe the kyng that we be suche men able to pay great raunsomes syrs quod he so shall I do for I am boūde therto than this knight retourned to Lamorabaquy and to his counsayle and syd howe those knyghtes whiche he hadde spoken with were of the greatest men in all Fraunce and were of the Kynges lyngage and said they were able to pay great raunsomes Than Lamorabaquy sayd howe their lyues shulde be saued and all other prisoners to be slayne and hewen all to peces in example of all other Than the kynge shewed hym selfe before all the people that were there assembled to whome they all made lowe reuerence They made a lane for hym to passe thorough euery man with his sworde naked in his hande and so came thyder where the sayd lordes of Fraunce stode togyther Than the king wolde se the correction of the other whiche thynge the sarazyns were desyrous to do THan they were all brought before Lamorabaquy naked in their shyrtes and he behelde them a lytell and than tourned fro them warde and made a sygne that they shuld be all slayne and so they were brought through the sarazyns that had redy naked swordes in their handes and so slayne and hewen all to peces without mercy This cruell iustyce dyd Lamorabaquy that daye by the whiche mo than thre hūdred gentlemen of dyuers nacyons were tourmented slayne for the loue of god on whose soules Iesu haue mercy Amonge other was slayne syr Henry Dantoigne of Heynalt and so it was the lord Boucyquante marshall of Fraunce was one of theym that was brought naked before the kynge and had ben slayne with other and the erle of Neuers had nat espyed hym As sone as he sawe hym he went streyght to the kynge and kneled downe and desyred hym effectuously to respyte fro the dethe that knyght syr Boucyquant sayenge howe he was a great man in Fraūce and able to pay a great raunsome Lamorabaquy condyscended to the request of the erle of Neuers and so syr Boucyquant was sette amonge them that shulde be saued Thus cruell iustyce was done that day vpon the crysten men and bycause that Lamorabaquy wolde that his vyctory shulde be knowen in Fraunce he apoynted out thre of the frenche knyghtes to come before hym wher of syr Iaques of Helley was one Than the kyng demaūded of the erle of Neuers whiche of tho thre knyghtes he wolde chose to sende in to Fraunce to the kynge and to the duke of Burgoyne his father Than the erle of Neuers sayd syr and it please you I wolde that this knyght syr Iaques of Helley shulde go thyder fro you and fro vs. So syr Iaques taryed with Lamorabaquy and the other two knyghtes delyuered to dethe and so slayne whiche was pytie Than Lamorabaquy was well apeased of his furoute and vnderstode howe the kyng of Hungery was scaped away a lyue Than he determyned to retourne in to Turkey to a cytie called Burse and so he dyd and thyder all the prisoners were brought and than his army departed and specyally suche as were of farre coūtreys as Tartary Perce Mede Sury Alerandre and of Lecto than syr Iaques Helley was delyuered to retourne in to Fraunce and he was cōmaunded to retourne throughe Lombardy and to recommaunde Lamorabaquy to the duke of Myllayne and also he was streyghtly cōmaunded that in euery place as he passed to manyfest and publisshe the victory that Lamorabaquy had vpon the crysten men The Erle of Neuers wrote to the frenche kynge for hym selfe and all his company to his father the duke of Burgoyne and to the duchesse his mother Whan this knyght had his charge as well by writyng as by credence he departed and toke his way towardes Fraunce Or he departed he was sworne and promysed as soone as he had done his message in Fraūce incontynent to retourne agayne thyder whiche othe and promesse he acōplysshed lyke a trewe knight Nowe we wyll leaue speakynge at this tyme of Lamorabaquy and of the lordes of Fraūce prisoners and we wyll speke of other maters that fell the same season ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of the pouertie and mysery that the crysten knightes of Fraunce and other nacyons endured in the commynge home to their countreys Cap. CC.xviii AFter this great dyscōfyture that the turkes had vpon the cristen men suche Knyghtes as could saue them selfe dyd The same mondaye there was a thre hundred knyghtes squyers that were gone a foragynge and were nat at the batayle for whan they knewe by them that fledde that the batayle was doone they had no desyre to retourne agayne to their lodginges but fledde as well as they myght and toke dyuers wayes to flye fro the turkes Ther fled bothe frenchmen englisshmen almayns scottes Flemynges and of other nacyons and they came in to a countrey ioynynge to Hungery called Blacquy it was a countrey replenysshed with dyuers people they were conquered vpon the turkes and tourned perforce to the crysten faythe The kepers of the portes townes and castels suffered these crysten men to entre and to lodge but the nexte mornynge at their departure they tooke fro these knyghtes and squyers all that they had and gaue them poore cotes and a lytell slyuer to passe therwith one dayes iourney This grace they shewed to the gentlemen And as for other yeomen varlettes they were spoyled all naked and sore beaten and yuell entreated without pytie So they passed through the coūtrey of Blacquy in great pouerte and through Hūgery they coude scant get breed for goddessake nor lordgyng at nyght they endured this daunger in passynge tyll they came to Vyen in Austrich There they were receyued more swetely and refresshed and newe cladde and so throughe the realme of Boesme For if they hadde founde the Almaygnes so harde they had neuer tourned agayne but rather dyed for colde and hunger Euery man that herde them tell of that aduenture hadde pytie on them So finally they came in to Fraunce to Paris and there shewed their aduentures At the begynnynge they coude nat be beleued Some in Parys sayde It is pytie these vnthriftes be vnhanged or drowned for tellyng of suche lies Howe be it these tidynges dayly multiplyed with resortyng of newe men Whan the frenche kynge vnderstode that these newes dayly renewed they were nothyng pleasaunt to hym for it was a great dōmage of the losse of the noble men of his blode and of other good knyghtes and squyers of the realme of Fraūce Than he cōmaunded no man to be so hardye to speke any more of that mater tyll he were better enfourmed of the certentie and cōmaunded that all suche as were come oute of Hungery shulde be taken and put in prisone tyll the trouth were knowen So there were many putte in to prison And the kyng hadde
the lordes and knyghtes of Fraunce for he had dyuers thynges to saye to them out of their countre Lamorabaquy studyed a lytell or he aunswered and at laste sayd Thou shalte speke with one of them but with no mo and so sent for the erle of Neuers alone and whan he was come sir Helley kneled downe to hym Th erle was glad to se hym and demaunded howe the frenche kynge and the duke his father the duches his mother dyde The knyght shewed hym all that he knewe and all that he was charged to saye to hym howe be it they had nat so good leysar to talke togyder as they wolde haue had for Lamorabaquyes men that were there present badde them haue done for they sayd they had other thynges to do than to stande there and wayte vpon them Than sir Iaques demaunded of the Erle howe all the other lordes of Fraunce dyde The Erle said they were all in good case except the lorde of Coucy who was somwhat diseased and was at the cytie of Burse Than sir Iaques shewed hym howe sir Iohan of Castell morant was come out of Fraunce fro the kyng and fro the duke of Burgoyne in ambassade to Lamorabaquy and to asswage his yre he hath sent hym ryche iewelles and presentes but he is at Bode in Hungry with the kyng there and I am come before for a sauecoÌ„duct for hym to come and go the whiche Lamorabaquy hath graunted And I thynke I shall retourne to hym shortely Herof therle was right ioyous but he durst make no semblant for feare of the Turkes but said sir Iaques I vnderstande by you that ye are quyte of your raunsome and prison and that ye maye retourne whan it pleaseth you in to FrauÌ„ce whan ye come there I praye you shewe the kyng and my father that we all desyre them to treate as shortely as maye be for our delyueraunce by some marchauntes genowayes or venisyons and agree at the fyrst worde to that Lomorabaquy shall desyre for our rauÌ„some for if they shulde make long treatie with hym we shal be lost for euer for I vnderstaÌ„de Lamorabaquy is trewe of his worde curtesse and shorte in all his maters so he be taken at the poynt Thus the erle of Neuers and sir Iaques departed Whan the saueconducte was redy it was delyuered to sir Iaques Than he toke his leaue of Lamorabaquy and of other of his courte of his aquayntaunce and rode so longe by his iourneys that he arryued at Bode in Hungry Than he drewe to sir Iohan Moraunt who thought longe for hym Than sir Iaques sayd sir I haue brought you a saueconducte to go in to Turkey and all youre company and to retourne agayne at your pleasure I am gladde therof ê™ the knyght Lette vs go to the kyng of Hungry and shewe hym therof and than to morowe betymes lette vs departe for I haue taryed here longe ynoughe Than they bothe togyder wente to the kyng in to his chambre and shewed hym all the mater The kynge than answered and sayde Sir Iohan Moraunt and ye Helly ye be welcome ye shall go at youre pleasure for the loue of my cosyns of Fraunce to whom I wolde be gladde to do pleasure and to you also ye maye go come throughe my realme at your pleasure and also in to Turkey if ye please But as for your presentes that you sir Iohan haue brought out of FrauÌ„ce I wyll nat agree that ye shall conuey them to that hell hounde Lamorabaquye He shall neuer be enryched therwith It shulde tourne to our great shame and rebuke if he shulde make his auauut that bycause he hath had victorie on vs and hath in daunger and prison certayne lordes of FraÌ„ce that for feare therof there shulde be sente to hym riche presentes as for the GerfaucoÌ„s I care nat for for foules flye lightly oute of one countre in to another they are soone gyuen and soone lost But as for riche hangynges of arras are thynges to be sene and to endure for euer Wherfore sir Iohan Morant if ye wyll passe in to Turkey with your ger faucoÌ„s go whan it please you but as for any other thyng ye shall haue non with you thaÌ„ the knyght aunswered and sayd Certaynly sir it shulde nat be myne honour nor pleasaÌ„t to the Frenche kynge nor to the lordes that haue sente me hyder without I myght accoÌ„plysshe my voyage as I haue in charge well quod the kynge ye shall haue none other waye of me at this tyme. So the kynge went fro them and lefte the two knightê spekynge toguyder They were sore troubled with the abusyon on the kynge of Hungery Than they counsayled toguyder what was best for them to do Than they determyned to sende hastye messangers to the freÌ„che kynge and to the duke of Burgoyne sithe they sawe they coulde haue none other remedy they wrote letters to the kyng and to the duke of Burgoyne that they shulde ê“uyde for the mater They sente their letters by poste to make the more hast and taryed styll them selfes at Bode with the kyng of Hungry abyding the retourne of their messanger THis messanger spedde so well and made suche dilygence that he came to Parys and there founde the kyng and the duke of Burgoyn and there shewed his leâ—â—s and they were reed at length with the whiche they were nothynge pleased and had marueyle that the kyng of Hungry wolde nat suffre his presentes to passe throughe his countre in to Turkey The duke of Berrey excused the kynge of Hungry and sayde howe he had good cause to do as he dyde for it is a thyng to humbly done for the kynge to sende suche presentes to an hethan thyng the duke of Burgoyne bycause the mater touched hym he was of the contrary opinyon and said it was a thyng reasonable so to do sith that fortune hath ben so fauorable to him to haue the vyctorie in suche a batayle and hath hadde the kyng of Hungry in chase and hath taken prisoners all suche noble men as were agaynst hym in that iourney wherfore the freÌ„des of those prisoners may well fynde the meanes howe to comforte them for their delyueraunce This dukes wordes were vp holden with the kynge and with dyuers of his counsayle Than the kynge demaunded of his vncle of Berrey Sayeng fayre vncle if Lamorabaquy the soudan or any other hethan kynge sende you a ruby or a ryche iewell wheder wyll ye receyne it or nat Sir quod he I wolde take aduyse Than that kyng sayd It passeth nat yet tenne yere sythe the soudan sente you a ruby whiche cost twentie thousande frankes So the kynge of Hungries dede was nat susteygned but it was sayd that he had yuell done to stoppe the goyng of these presentes and that it shulde rather hynder the prisoners than auaunce theÌ„ Than the kyng was couÌ„sayled to write to the kyng of Hungry amyable letters desyringe hym nat to stoppe his knyght but suffre him to passe in to
that the duke his father had on hym a paryllous sycknesse whiche shuld be his dethe these wordes gretly letted the erle to take on hym any maner of voyage but so taryed styll at Parys and often tymes he went and sawe the frenche kyng the duke of Orlyaunce and the kynges vncles and alwayes they made hym good chere so that he was moche bounde to them and he sayde to the kynge Syr ye do me so moche honoure and curtesy and shewe me so great sygne of loue that I knowe nat in all my lyfe dayes howe to deserue it but if euer I come in Englande my lady that quene your doughter to my power shall haue my seruyce I thanke you cosyn quod the kynge So it fell that aboute the feest of Crystmasse duke Iohan of Lancastre who lyued in great dyspleasure what bycause the Kynge had banysshed his sonne out of the realme for so litell a cause and also bycause of the yuell gouernynge of the realme by his nephewe kynge Rycharde for he sawe well that if he longe percepuered were suffred to contynewe the realme was lykely to be vtterly loste With these ymagynacyons and other the duke fell sycke wheron he dyed whose dethe was greatly sorowed of all his frendes and louers The kyng by that he shewed toke no great care for his dethe but sone he was forgotten Than certayne of the noble men of Englande sawe well howe the realme feblysshed sythe the duke of Lancastre was deed and the duke of Gloucestre his brother slayne and the erle of Arundell and the erle of Derby banysshed who ought than to be duke of Lancastre by ryght succession Than some sayde Nowe we shall se what the kynge wyll do it is tyme nowe that he repeale home agayne his cosyn of Derby and to pardone hym his yuell wyll though he haue no cause to be dyspleased with hym it were tyme he came and entred in to his landes as duke of Lancastre Suche wordes ranne a brode in the Realme in dyuers places and specyally in the cytie of London where the erle of Derby was a hundred tymes better beloued thanne the kynge howe be it for all the wordes and murmuryng that the kyng and his counsayle knewe of yet he dyd nothynge therafter but clene the contrary He was yuell counsayled for if he had incontynent after the dethe of the duke of Lancastre sente for the erle of Derby and at his coÌ„mynge haue frendely welcomed hym home and haue called hym duke of Lancastre and haue taken hym as greatest personage in Englande nexte hym selfe and haue sayde howe he wolde be gouerned in all poyntes after his aduyse and counsayle and to do nothynge without his aduyse than the kynge had done well and lykely to haue contynued his estate as kynge of Englande and had nat receyued the yuell fortune that fell to hym shortly after as ye shall here after ¶ Howe the dethe of the duke of LaÌ„castre was knowen in Fraunce the kyng of Englande wrote in maner of ioye to the Frenche kynge therof and wrote nothyng therof to therle of Derby who was the dukes sonÌ„e Cap. CC .xxxv. TIdynges of the duke of Lancasters dethe came in to Fraunce kyng Rycharde of EnglaÌ„de in maner of ioye wrote therof to the frenche kyng and nat to his cosyn therle of Derby howe be it the erle knewe it as soone as the Frenche kynge or soner by suche men as he had in Englande Than the erle apparelled hym and all his men in blacke and caused his obsequy to be done right honorably at the whiche was the Frenche kyng and his brother the duke of Orlyaunce and all the kynges vncles with a great nombre of prelates and great lordes of Fraunce For the erle of Derby was welbeloued with euery maÌ„ and many were right sorie of his trouble for he was a pleasaunt knight and an honest ê‘son curtesse and swete meke to euery man and euery man that sawe hym said howe the kyng of Englande was nat well counsayled that he repealed hym nat home agayne And truely to saye trouthe if the kynge of Englande had wysely regarded the mater and had ben well counsayled the mater had nat tourned agaynst hym as it dyde For the erle of Derby after the dethe of his father was right enherytoure to be duke of Lancastre and to haue been the seconde persone of the realme and by whom all the busynesse of the realme shulde chiefely haue passed Also the kynge and his counsayle ought to haue consydred howe often tymes the people of Englande hadde styrred and murmured agaynst hym and shulde haue knowen howe he was nat very welbeloued of the people nor of some knightes other and how that in the duke of Gloucesters dayes he was often tymes in daunger of his persone As whan the Londoners and the counsaylles of dyuers good townes in Englande caÌ„e to hym to Eltham and there made their requestes that all subsidies and ayes gyuen and graunted within twentie yere shulde haue ben frustrate and fordone or els they were determyned by the consent of the duke of Gloucestre and other noble men of the Realme to haue taken the kynge and to haue sette another to haue reygned in his place and to haue putte the kyng and the Quene in to a place and so to haue hadde meate and drinke as long as they had lyued In somoche that the duke of Gloucester hadde desyred a nephewe of his sonne to the doughter of the duke of Clarence who was called Iohan erle of Marche That he wolde haue taken on hym the charge and gouernyng of the realme and that they wolde haue made hym kyng But the same erle excused hym selfe honestly therfro All these thynges were apeased and layde downe by the wyse sadde meanes and prudence of the sayde duke of Lancastre father to this sayd erle of Derby IF kyng Richarde had wysely consydred all these mats he had reigned in gretter ê“sperite than euer he did before Kyng Richarde knewe all this well ynough and so by yuell counsayle the kynge caused by colour of loue the duke of Gloucestre to be taken and ledde to Calays where he was strangled and murdered Wherof great brute was throughe out all the realme with great grudge and murmuracyons so that it was at the poynt to haue deposed the sayde kyng Richarde Howe be it the duke of Lancastre lyke a sage and a prudent price for all that the duke of Gloucestre was his brother and that the murderyng of hym touched hym nere to his herte All thynges consyred and that he coude nat recouer agayne his brother wisely and amiably he apeased all these maters And the kynge his nephue more feared in EnglaÌ„de than he was before All this the kynge ought to haue consydred and specially howe therle of Derby was better beloued with the people than any other man within the realme All these thyngê wysely coÌ„sidred after the dethe of the duke rf LaÌ„castre the kyng shulde
season with hym The erle acorded to their counsayle and whan he was redy he wente to Parys to the kynge as he was acustomed to do for euer whan he came there was no dore closed agaynst him At this last tyme he spake wysely to the kynge and shewed hym howe he wolde go and sporte hym a season in Bretayne and to se the duke whome he called his vncle for he had had to his wyfe his fathers suster doughter to Kynge Edwarde The frenche kynge thought nothyng but well and so gaue hym lyghtly leaue Than the erle desyred to haue conducte to bringe hym thyder He graunted his desyre So to make shorte the Erle ordeyned all his busynesse by great wysdome and toke his leaue of all the lordes of Fraunce suche as were there as than and he gaue great gyftes to the kynges offycers and to offycers of armes and to mynstrelles and in the howse of Clysson he made a supper to all suche as wolde come to hym And the nexte daye he toke his horse and departed fro Parys and issued out at the gate of saynt Iaques and toke the way to Estampes A knight of Beawsey dyd guyde hym called syr Guy of Baygneux So longe they rode that they came to Blois and there they taryed an .viii. dayes for the erle had sente a knyght and his haraulde in to Bretayne to sygnyfie the duke of his cōmynge as reason was WHan duke Iohan of Bretaygne knewe that his nephewe the erle of Derby was cōmynge thyder he was therof ryght ioyfull for he loued alwayes the Duke of Lancastre and all his bretherne and sayde to the knight that brought him worde who was called Gillyam de la Pierre Sir why dothe our nephewe tary by the way that he cometh nat hyther streyght The knyght excused the erle as well as he myght Well quod the duke I sawe no man this seuen yere that I wolde be gladder to se than my nephewe the erle of Derby retourne to hym cause hym to come for he shall fynde my countrey redy open to receyue hym Of that aunswere the knyght was gladde and retourned as shortely as he coulde and came to Bloys and shewed the erle and his counsayle the dukes aunswere The next day they rode forthe and had payed for euery thynge and in the erle of Derbyes company was syr Peter of Craon who was banysshed out of the realme of Fraunce and all his castelles rentes and reuenues seased for the sōme of a hundred thousande frankes iudged to the duchesse of Aniou quene of Napoles by proces of the lawe Thus the erle of Derby came to Nauntes and there founde the duke who receyued him nobly and all his company Than syr Guy le Bayneux retourned in to Fraunce and the erle taryed with the Duke of Bretaygne who made hym as good chere as coulde be deuysed And all this seasone the bysshoppe of Caunterbury was styll with the erle and his coūsayle The duke spared nothynge vpon the erle nor vpon his men but shewed them all the loue of the worlde and yet the duke knewe well the dyspleasure that kynge Rycharde had agaynste the erle wherof he had pytie Whan the erle consydred the dukes good wyll and fauoure he dyscouered to hym parte of his busynesse as touchynge the duchy of Lancastre and suche herytages as the duke his father had in possessyon whan he dyed and desyringe therin to haue the dukes counsayle sayenge that he was nat repealed agayne by the kynge but gyueth dayly away parte of his enherytaunces wherby he shewed the duke that many noble men and prelates in Englande were nat well contente with the kynge and the realme therby in great dyfference In so moche that dyuers noble men and the londoners had sent to hym to haue hym to come in to Englande promysynge that they wolde make his peace with the kynge and set hym in his herytage Whan the duke herde that he sayd Fayre nephue where as be many wayes the best ought to be chosen By the kynge ye are in a harde case ye demaunde counsayle and I wyll counsayle you to gyue credence to your frendes in Englande the londoners are myghty and puyssaunt they and by the ayde of other prelates lordes and knyghtes of the realme shall bringe the kynge to agre to their desyres and nephewe I shall ayde you with spyppes and with men of warre to resyste the daungers vpon the see Of that offre the erle thanked the duke of Bretayne ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the erle of Derby aryued in Englande and howe he was receyued of the londoners Cap. CC.xl. THus the duke of Bretaygne and the erle of Derby were louyngely concluded togyder and the erle taryed there a certayne space made as though he wold haue taryed styll there and in the meane seasone the erle made his prouysyon at Wannes And whan all thynge was redy the duke and the erle came thyder and whan the wynd serued the erle of Derby and his company tooke the see he had with hym thre shyppes of warre to conducte hym in to Englande and the further they sayled the better wynde they had so that within two dayes and two nyghtes they aryed at Plūmouth in Englande and issued out of their shyppes and entred in to the towne lytell and lytell the bayly of Plūmouthe who had charge of the towne vnder the kynge had great marueyle whanne he sawe so moche people and men of warre entre in to the towne But the bysshop of Caunterbury apeased him and sayd howe they were menne of warre that wolde do no harme in the realme of Englande sent thyder by the duke of Bretaygne to serue the kynge and the realme Therwith the bayly was contente and the erle of Derby kept hym selfe so priuy in a chaumbre that none of the towne knewe hym Than the bysshoppe of Caunterbury wrote letters sygned with his hande to London sygnyfienge the cōmynge of the erle of Derby and sente them by a suffycyent man in post who tooke fresshe horses by the waye and came to London the same daye at night and passed ouer the bridge and so came to the mayres lodgynge who as than was a bedde and as sone as the mayre knewe that a messāger was come fro the bysshop of Caunterbury he rose out of his bedde and made the messanger to entre in to his chambre who delyuered hym a lettre fro the bysshoppe of Caunterbury The mayre redde it and reioysed greatly of those newes and incontynent he sente of his seruauntes fro house to howse princypally to suche as were of counsayle of sendynge for the Erle of Derby They were all gladde of that tydynges and in contynent there assembled togyther of the moste notablest men of the cytie to the nombre of two hundred they spake togyder and helde no longe counsayle for the case required it nat but they sayd lette vs apparell our selfe and go and receyue the duke of Lancastre saythe we agreed to sende for hym the
haue nede of good Counsayle shortely for the Londoners and other cometh agaynst you with great puissaunce and hath made therle of Derby your cosyn their chefe capitayne they haue gote hym out of FrauÌ„ce This hath nat been done without great treatie Whan the kynge herde that he was sore abasshed and wyste nat what to saye for all his spyrites trymbled For thaÌ„ he saw well the maters were lykely to go yuell agaynst hym without he coude gette puyssauÌ„ce to resyst them Than the kynge sayd Sirs make all our men redy and lende throughe out my realme for ayde For I wyll nat flye before my subiettes Sir quod they the mater gothe yuell for your men do leaue you flye awaye ye haue loste the one halfe and all the rest are sore abasshed and leseth couÌ„tynauÌ„ce Why quod the kyng what wyll ye that I shall do Sir leaue the felde for ye are nat able to kepe it And gette you in to some stronge castell tyll sir Iohan HollaÌ„de your brother come who is aduertysed of all this mater And whanÌ„e he is come he shall fynde some remedy outher biforce of armes or elles by treatie at leest to bring you in to some better case than ye be in at this present tyme. For if ye kepe the felde paraduenture some wyll forsake you and go to hym To this couÌ„saile the kyng agreed At that tyme the erle of Salisbury was nat with the kyng he was in his countre Whan he herde howe the erle of Derby with the Londoners and great puissaunce rode agaynst the kyng He ymagined that the matter was in paryll for hym and for the kynge and for suche as the kyng had ben counsayled by so he sate styll to here other tidynges Also the duke of yorke was nat with the kyng but his sonne the erle of Rutlande was alwayes with the kyng for two causes The one was kyng Richarde loued hym entierly And another was bycause he was constable of Englande therfore by right he ought to be with the kynge Whan the kyng had supped newe tidynges caÌ„e agayne to hym sayeng Sir it is tyme to take aduise howe ye wyll order your selfe your puyssauÌ„ce is nat sufficient agaynst theÌ„ that cometh agaynst you It can nat aueyle you to make batayle agaynst them It behoueth you to passe this daunger by sadde aduyse and good counsayle And by wysedome apease them that be your yuel willers as ye haue done or this tyme and than correcte them after at leysar There is a castell a .xii. myle hens called the castell of Flynte whiche is stronge We counsayle you to go thider and close you within it tyll ye here other newes fro the erle of Huntyngton your brother and for other of your frendes and sende in to Irelande for socours And the freÌ„che kyng your father in lawe whan he knoweth of your nede he wyll conforte you the kyng folowed that counsayle and apoynted them that shulde ride with hym to the castell of Flynt And he ordayned his cosyn erle of Rutlande to tary styll at Bristowe and that they shulde be redy to sette forwarde whan he sent to them and that he was of power to fyght with his enemyes The nexte day the kynge with suche as were of his housholde rode to the castell of Flynte and entred in to the castell without makynge any semblaunt to make any warre but to abide there and to defende the castell if they were assayled ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe kyng Richarde yelded him selfe to the erle of Derby to go to London Cap. CC.xli THe erle of Derby the londoners had their spies goyng and coÌ„myng who reported to them al the state of the kyng And also the erle knewe it by suche knyghtes and squyers as daylye came fro the kynges parte to therle who had sure knowledge that the king was gone to the castell of Flynt and had no company with him but such as were of his owne housholde and semed that he wolde no warrÌ„ but to scape that dauÌ„ger by treatie Than therle determyned to ryde thyder and to do so moche to haue the kyng outher biforce or by treatie Than the erle and all his company rode thyder and within two myle of the Castell they founde a great vyllage there the erle taryed and dranke determyned in hym selfe to ryde to the castell of Flynt with two hundred horse and to leaue the rest of his company styll there And he sayde he wolde do what he coude by fayre treatie to entre in to the castell by loue and nat perforce And to bring out the kynge with fayre wordes and to assure hym fro all paryll excepte goynge to London and to promise hym that he shall haue no hurte of his body and to be meane for hym to the Londoners who were nat coÌ„tent with hym Therles deuyse semed good to them that harde it and they sayd to hym Sir beware of dissymulacion This Rycharde of Burdeaux muste be taken outher quycke or deed and all the other traytours that be about hym and of his counsayle and so to be brought to London and sette in the towre the Londoners wyll nat suffre you to do the contrary Than the erle sayde Sirs feare nat but all that is enterprised shall be accomplysshed But if I can gette hym out of the castell with fayre wordes I wyll do it and if I canne nat I shall sende you worde therof and than ye shall come and laye siege about the castell And than we wyll do so moche by force or by assaute that we wyll haue hym quicke or deed for the castell is well prignable to those wordes accorded well the londoners So the erle departed fro the army and rode with two huÌ„dred men to the castell where as the kyng was amoÌ„g his men right sore abasshed The erle came ridyng to the castell gate whiche was faste closed as the case requyred The erle knocked at the gate The porters demauÌ„ded who was there the erle answered I am Henry of Lancastre I come to the kynge to demaunde myne herytage of the duchy of Lancastre shewe the kynge this fro me Sir quod they within we shall do it Incontynent they went in to the hall and in to the â—ongyon where as the kyng was and suche knyghtes about hym as had long tyme couÌ„sayled hym than these newes were shewed to the kyng sayd sir your cosyn of Derby is at the gate who demaÌ„deth of you to be set in possessyon of the duchy of Lancastre his enherytaunce The kynge than regarded suche as were aboute hym demaunded what was best to do They said sir in this request is none yuell ye maye let hym come in to you with .xii. persons in his company and here what he wyll say He is your cosyn and a great lorde of the Realme He maye well make your peace and he wyll for he is greatly beloued in the realme and specially with the Londoners who sente for hym in to FrauÌ„ce They be as nowe the
his herte and sayd he wolde do as they counsayled hym as he that sawe hym selfe in great daunger and than he sayd to them that kepte hym howe he wolde gladly speke with his cosyn of Lancastre ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe Kynge Rycharde of Englande resigned the crowne and the realme in to the handes of the erle of Derby duke of Lancastre Cap. CC.xliiii IT was shewed the duke of Lancastre howe Rycharde of Burdeaux desyred to speke with hym The duke in an euenynge toke a barge and went to the towre by water went to the kynge who receyued hym curtesly and humbled hym selfe greatly as he that sawe hym selfe in great daunger and sayd Cosyn of Lancastre I regarde and consydre myne estate whiche is as nowe but small I thanke god therof As any more to reygne or to gouerne people or to beare a crowne I thynke it nat and as god helpe me I wolde I were deed by a naturall dethe and that the frenche kinge had agayne his doughter we haue had as yet no gret ioy togyder nor syth I brought her in to Englande I coulde neuer haue the loue of my people as I had before Cosyn all thynges cōsydred I knowe we well I haue greatly trespassed agaynst you and agaynst other noble men of my blodde by dyuers thynges I perceyue I shall neuer haue pardone nor come to peace wherfore with myne owne free and lyberall wyll I wyll resygne to you the herytage of the Crowne of Englande and I requyre you take the gyfte therof with the resignacyon Whan the duke herde that he sayd syr it is conuenyent that parte of the thre estates of the realme be called to these wordes and I haue sent all redy for some noble men prelates and counsaylours of the good townes of Englande and I truste they wyll be here within this thre dayes suffycient of them for you to make a dewe resygnacion before them and by this meanes ye shal greatly apease many men within the realme For to withstande suche enormyties and yuels as haue ben vsed in the realme for faute of iustyce who had no place to reygne I was sent for fro beyond the see and the people wolde crowne me for the renome rynneth through Englande that I haue more ryght to the crowne than ye haue for whan our grauntfather kynge Edwarde the thyrde dyd chose and make you kynge the same was as than shewed hym but he loued so his sonne the prince that none coude breake his purpose nor opinyon but that you shulde be kynge and if ye wolde haue folowed the steppes of your father the prince and haue beleued his counsayle as a good sonne ought to haue done ye myght haue ben styll kyng and haue contynued youre estate but ye haue alwayes done the contrary so that the cōmon renome rynneth through England and in other places that ye were neuer sonne to the prince of Wales but rather sonne to a preest or to a chanon for I haue herde of certayne knightes that were in the Princes howse myne vncle howe that he knew well that his wyfe had nat truely kepte her maryage your mother was cosyn germayne to kynge Edwarde and the kynge beganne to hate her bycause she coulde haue no generacion Also she was the kynges gossyp of two chyldren at the fonte And she that coulde well kepe the prince in her bandon by crafte and subtylte she made the prince to be her husbande and bycause she coulde haue no chylde she douted that the prince shulde be deuorsed fro her she dyd so moch that she was with chylde with you and with another before you as of the fyrst I can nat tell what to iudge but as for you bycause your cōdicyons haue ben sene contrary fro all nobles and prowes of the prince therfore it is sayd that ye be rather sonne to a prest or to a chanon for whan ye were gotten and borne at Burdeaux there were many yonge preestes in the princes house This is the brute in this countrey and your workes haue well folowed the same for ye be alwayes enclyned to the pleasure of the french men and to take with them peace to the confusyon and dy shonoure of the realme of Englande And bycause myne vncle of Gloucestre and the erle of Arundell dyd coūsayle you truly and faythfully to kepe the honour of the realme and to folowe the steppes of your auncestours ye haue traytoursly caused them to dye As for me I haue taken on me to defende your lyfe as longe as I may for pytie and I shall pray the londoners and the herytours of them that ye haue slayne and banysshed to do the same Cosyn I thanke you quod that kynge I truste more in you than in any other It is but ryght that ye so shulde do for if I had nat ben ye had ben taken by the people and deposed with great confusyon and slayne by reasone of your yuell workes Kynge Rycharde herde well all the dukes wordes and wyst nat what to saye agaynst it for he sawe well that force nor argumentes coulde nat auelyle him but rather mekenesse and humilyte wherfore he humbled hym and prayed the duke to saue his lyfe WHan the duke of Lancastre had ben at the towre two houres with kynge Rycharde had shewed hym parte of his fautes than he retourned And the next day he sent forthe mo cōmaundementes in to all parties of the realme to cause noble men and other to come to London His vncle the duke of yorke came to London and the erle of Rutlande his sonne the erle of Northumberlande and the lorde Thomas Percy his brother The duke of Lancastre made them good chere Thyder came also great nombre of prelates and abbottes And on a day the duke of Lancastre acompanyed with lordes dukes prelates erles barones and knyghtes and of the notablest men of London of other good townes rode to the Towre and there alyghted Than kynge Rycharde was brought in to the hall aparelled lyke a kynge in his robes of estate his septer in his hande and his crowne on his heed Than he stode vp alone nat holden nor stayed by no man and sayde a loude I haue been kynge of Englande duke of Acquytany and lorde of Irelande aboute xxii yeres whiche sygnory royalte cepter crowne and herytage I clerely resygne here to my cosyn Henry of Lancastre and I desyre hym here in this open presence in entrynge of the same possessyon to take this septour and so delyuered it to the duke who toke it Than kynge Rycharde toke the crowne fro his heed with bothe his handes and set it before hym and sayd Fayre cosyn Henry duke of Lancastre I gyue delyuer you this crowne wherwith I was crowned kyng of Englande and therwith all the right therto dependyng The duke of Lancastre tooke it and the archebysshop of Caunterbury toke it out of the dukes handes this resygnacion thus done the duke of Lancastre called a notary and demaunded to haue
Henry in Fraunce wherby they were soner aquaynted so they taryed at Douer tyll their horses were vnshypped and than they rode to Caunterbury And where so euer they bayted or lay their hostes were payed At laste they came to Eltham and there they founde kyng Henry and parte of his counsayle The kinge made them good chere for the loue of the frenche kynge Than they shewed the kyng the cause of their cōmynge The kynge aunswered and sayde Sirs ye shal go to London and there I wyll be within this foure dayes and assemble my counsayle and than ye shall haue aunswere of your demaunde That daye they dyned with the kynge and after dyner they rode to London and the sayde knyght of the kynges styll with them who sawe them well lodged The kinge acordyng to his promyse came to Westmynster these frenche knyghtes had knowlege of the kynges cōmynge thyder and made them redy to go whan they shulde be sent for The kynge had his counsayle with hym and than it was deuysed what answere they shuld haue than they were sent for and than it was shewed them that where as they desyred to se the quene their desyre shulde nat be denyed so that they wolde swere and promesse that nouther they nor none of their menne shulde speke any worde of that was fallen vpon king Rycharde for it was said to them that if they dyd they shulde rynne in great dyspleasure of the people and be in great parell of their lyues The two knightes sayd they wolde in no wyse breake the ordre that they had sette but obey their cōmaundement They sayd whan they had ones sene and spoken with her than they wolde retourne and departe Anon after the erle of Northum berlande brought theym to Haueringe of the bowre to the yonge quene who was there as than and with her the duches of Irelande doughter to the lorde Coucy and the duchesse of Gloucestre with her doughters and other ladyes and damoselles The quene receyued them swetely and demaūded of them howe the frenche kinge her father dyd and the quene her mother They sayde well and so cōmuned with her a gret season They kepte well their promesse for they spake no worde of kynge Rycharde Than they tooke leaue of the quene and retourned to London Than shortely after they wente to Eltham to the kynge and there dyned and the kyng gaue them fayre presentes and iowelles and ryght amyably they toke their leaue of the kynge who sayd to them Syrs ye may say whan ye come in to Fraunce that the quene of Englande shall haue no hurte nor trouble but shall alwaies kepe her estate as to her belongeth and shall enioy all her right for as yet she shall nat knowe the mutacyons of the worlde Of these wordes spoken of the kynges mouth the two knyghtes were well content and so departed and lay at Dertforde and the next day at Osprynge and so to Caunterbury and than to Douer And all their costes and charges commynge goynge the kynges offycers payed Than they tooke the see and aryued at Boloyne and so to Parys and there founde the kyng and the quene and shewed them all that they had sene and herde ¶ Nowe let vs somwhat speake of Englande ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe certayne lordes in Englande rose vp with an army to haue delyuered kyng Rycharde and to haue dystroyed kynge Henry and howe they were slayne Cap. CC xivii DIuers questyons and argumētes were made in Englande amonge noble men and counsayls of the good townes that Richarde of Burdeaux was deed slayne wherfore men spake no more of hym for well he had deserued it To these poyntes kyng Henry answered and sayd Nay quod he I haue pytie of his dethe I wyll neuer consent therto To kepe hym in prisone is suffycient I haue warrāted his lyfe and I wyll kepe my promyse suche as wolde haue had hym deed sayd Sir we se well ye haue Pytie on hym but ye do for your selfe a perylous thyng For as long as he is a lyue though he haue willyngly resigned to you the crowne of Englande and that euery man hath receyued you as kyng and haue made to you faythe and homage yet it can nat be but that there be in the Realme some that loued hym as yet do who wolde lightly ryse agaīst you if they might se any lykelyhode of his delyueraunce Also the Frenche kynge is sore displeased for his trouble he wolde soone be reuenged yf he myght and he is of great puyssaunce with suche ayde as he maye fynde in Englande The kynge aunswered and sayde As longe as I se nat the contrary or that the Frenche kyng wyll take no parte agaynst me I wyll kepe my promyse This aunswere that the kynge made had nerehande haue ben to his owne distructyon The erle of Huntyngton sir Iohan of Hollande brother to kyng Richarde who hadde to wyfe kynge Henryes suster coulde nat forgette the aduenture of his brother No more coude the erle of Salisbury and they had at Oxenforde secrete counsayle toguyder And they deuysed how they might delyuer kynge Richarde oute of the towre and distroye kyng Henry bring a trouble agayne in to the realme They deuysed to make a iustes of twentie knyghtes and twentie squyers to beholden at Oxenforde and howe they wolde desyre the kyng to be there priuely And whyle he shulde be syttynge at the table to slee hym For they had deuysed to haue hadde men ynowe to haue perfourmed their ententes and they had redy a preest called Maladyn who was a syngar in kynge Rychardes chapell to haue putte hym in the Kynges appareyle for he was lyke kynge Rycharde in fauoure And than they wolde haue made the people to haue beleued that kynge Richarde hadde been delyuered and returned in to his fyrst state and than̄e to haue sente worde of their dede to the Frenche kynge that he shulde incontynent haue sente in to Englande some socoure to them by the erle of saynt Poule or by some other As they had deuysed so they dyde begynne They caused a feest at Oxenforde to be proclaymed of twentie knyghtes and twentie squyers well accōpanyed with ladyes and damoselles They hadde also on their partie the yonge erle of Kente nephue to sir Iohan Hollande also another great lorde the lorde Spensar And they beleued to haue hadde on their partie the erle Iohan of Rutlande bycause kynge Henry had put hym out of the offyce of the Cōstable shyppe of Englande but he fayled theym for some sayde by hym they were bewrayed This feest prouyded for thau the erle of Huntyngton came to Wyndsore where the kyng was and humbly made his reuerence as he that thought to haue disceyued the kynge with swete wordes and to haue gote hym to haue come to this feest the whiche to do he desyred the kyng effectuously and the kyng who thought none yuell graunted hym so to do wherof the erle was ryght ioyouse and departed
eche of them knewe other they sawe well they shuld haue batayle Than the frenchmen valiantly set fote to the erthe and approched their ennemyes and the gauntoyse in lykewise set on them There they beganne to shole and to fight eche with other they were on suche a place that the gauntoyse coude nat passe at their aduauÌ„tage there was a sore batayle and many feates of armes done on bothe partes and dyuers caste to the grounde Sir Riflart of Flaunders was theâ— a good knight and dyd valiantly The knightes and squyers fought valiantly with the gauÌ„toyse so it behoued them to do for there was no raunsome But finally the gauntoyse were of suche nombre that they obteyned the place and the frenchmen were constrayned to lepe on their horses or els they had been all lost for the gauntoyse surmounted them And there was slayne sir IohnÌ„ Varlet sir Peter of Bailleule Bell Forrier Philyppe of Gancy Raolen dela Foley and dyuers other whiche was great domage And the other were fayne to flye and to entre in to ArdcÌ„bourcke or els they had ben deed without recouerie And after this aduenture the vycount of Meaulx was sent in garyson to Ardenbourcke with a certayne nombre of men of armes and they newly repayred the towne and he had with hym a huÌ„dred soeares of good men of armes And as than sir Iohan of Ieumont was great baylye of Flaunders so he had ben two yere before He was greatly douted in all the countre of Flaunders bycause of his valyantnesse And whan he might get any of the gauntoyse there went no raunsome for them For he outher putte them to dethe or els cutte of their handes and fete or putte oute their eyen and sende them home to gyue ensaÌ„ple to the other gauntoyse He was so renoumed in Flaunders to do iustyce without pytie in correctyng the gauntoyse that there was no spekyng in all Flaunders but of hym THus in euery Realme the worlde was in trouble as well bitwene FrauÌ„ce and Englande as Castell and Portyngale for theâ— the warre was newly renewed and the lady of Auiowe who wrote her selfe quene af Naples and of Hierusalem was come to Iuygnon to the pope and there kepte her house and her son Loyes with her who was called kynge of Cecyle the whiche his father hadde conquered The quenes entencyon was to make warre in Prouence without they of that countre wolde take her for their lady and become vnder her obeysauÌ„ce And sir Bernarde de la Salle was entred in to Pronence and made warre there in her quarell The same season the lorde of Coucy was also at Auygnon and had layen a .xv. wekes in his bedde of a hurte that he hadde on his legge with rennyng of a horse And whan he was hole than he oftentymes dyde vyset the quene and recoÌ„forted her the whiche he coulde do rightwell The quene taryed therefor to abyde for the duke of Berrey who was also comynge to Auignon to speke with the pope and to ayde his suster the quene The frenche kyng and his vncles hadde sente in to Prouence sir Loyes of Sanxere marshall of Fraunce with fyue huÌ„dred men of armes to warre in that couÌ„tre without they wolde come to obeysaunce vnder the quene Some submytted themselfe but nat all howe be it the cytie of Marcell and the grettest parte of the countre yelded them to the quene but the cytie of Ayes in Prouence and Tarraston and dyuers knyghtes of the countre wolde nat yelde them to the quene sayeng howe she had no ryght to demaunde the countie of Prouence tyll she were peasably receyued for lady and her sonne as kynge of Pulle and Calabre in Naples and Cecile and whan she hath possession of these than ProueÌ„ce shall obeye her as reason requyreth In those matchesse there made warre for the erle Sir Charles dela Paâ—â—e the erle Conuersaunt and sir Iohan of Luzenbourge his sonne And with me quene at Auignon as chefe of her counsayle was sir Iohan of Baylleule IN the same season there fell in Lombardye a marueylous insydence which was moche spoken of throughe out all the worlde and that was of the Erle of Vertus called sir Galeas and of his brother sir Barnabo the grettest in all Lombardy They had raygned longe and gouerned all LoÌ„bardy lyke two bretherne The one of them ruled nyne cyties and the otehr tenne the cyte of Millayne was gouerned one yet by the one thother yere by the other Whan sir Galeas dyed he left behynde hym a sonne who was than erle of Vertus named like his father sir Galeas but than swaged the loue bitwene him and sir Barnabo his vncle for than sir Galeas doughted hym of sir Barnabo his vncle leest that he wolde take away his laÌ„des fro him lyke as he dyde fro his father For his vncle of olde tyme toke awaye the lande fro their brother sir Mauffe and caused him to dye So thus therle of Vertus douted hym greatly of his vncle howe be it he wrought subtelly to bringe hym selfe insuretie I shall shewe you howe Sir Barnabo had in vsage that all suche landes as he had rule of he raunsomed theÌ„ so greuously and wolde taxe the men two or thre tymes in a yere to paye the halfe or thirde parte of their goodes and none durst saye agaynst hym for feare And sir Galeas erle of Vertus dyde otherwyse for the entent to gete loue he toke none ayde of his men but lyued all onely by his reuenewes And that rule he kept a fyue yere after the dethe of his father so that he had the loue of all Lombardy and euery man said they wolde be gladde to lyue vnder hym And euery man spake yuell of ser Barnabo priuely as they durst bycause he toke so excessyuely of them So finally the Erle of Vertus thought to execute his entent as he that doughted greatly his vncle and as it was sayde he sawe some lykelyhode On a day he sente secretely for suche as he trusted best And to some he shewed his entent but nat to all for feare that his purpose shulde be knowen And so it fortuned that sir Barnabo on a daye rode forthe fro one Castell to another to sporte hym The erle of Vertus his nephewe knewe therof and layde for hym thre busshemeutes to the entent that his vncle shulde nat scape for he must nedes at least passe by one of them The erle coÌ„mauÌ„ded to take hym but nat to slee him without he made great defeÌ„ce So as sir Barnabo roode forthe and thought none yuell nor was in no feare of his nephewe So he fell in the daunger of one of the busshmentes the whiche opyned and approched hym with their speres couched in the rest sir Barnabo had with hym a squyer of Almaygne who came to hym and sayd Sir saue your selfe for yonder company maketh but yuell countenaunce agaynst you they are parteyning to youre nephewe sir Galeas Sir Barnabo aunswered I
and had passed the dykes with moche payne And whan they were within they had wende to haue won gret riches but they fouÌ„de there nothyng but poore people men women chyldren and great plentie of good wynes and so for dispyte and displeasure they sette fyre in the towne so that it was nighe all brent wherof the kynge and the duke of Burgone was sore displeased but they coude nat amende it Howe be it the ladyes gentyl women with moche payne were saued fro hurt of their bodyes or losse of their goods AFter the takyng of Dan the kyng was counsayled to dissodge and so the king went and lodged a two leages fro Gaunte at a towne called Artulle and whyles the kyng lay there his men of armes rode in the countrey of the four craftes distroyed all the countre bycause in tyme past the gauntoysehad chiefe coÌ„fort euer fro them Therefore they brent downe towres churches and houses and chased the men women and chyldren in to the woodes Whan the FreÌ„chmen had done that distruction than it was ordayned to go and lay siege to the castell of Gaure and than after to Gaunte but all that tourned to nothyng for tidynges came to the kynge beyng at Artuelle fro the quene of Hungry by the bysshop of Wasselure the sayd quenes ambassadour with dyuers knightes squyers in his company and they brought letters of credence certifyeng how the said quene was comyng in to Fraunce to fetche Lewes of Fraunce erle of Valoys to haue hym in to HuÌ„gry to her doughter Whom sir Iohan la Parson had wedded by procuracion in the name of the erle of Valoyes These tidynges pleased greatly the kynge and his counsayle and so it was thought that for the honoure of the yonge Lewes erle of Valois that they shulde returne in to Fraunce and thought they hadde done ynoughe for that season in the countre of FlauÌ„ders ¶ Nowe the frenche kyng departed out of Flaunders and gaue leaue to his men to departe and howe he caÌ„e to Parys to treate with the ambassadours of Hungry howe the Marques of Blanquefort toke by streÌ„gth to his wyfe the same lady enherytoure of Hungry Cap. ix THan the frenche kyng departed fro Artuell the. xii day of Septembre gaue leaue to all men of warre to retourne to their owne houses of the whiche deê‘tynge the Gauntoyse were ryght gladde Than the kyng went to Craye where the quene his wyfe was for whan he went fro Amyens to FlauÌ„ders he sent her thyder to kepe her estate and so he taried they certen dayes and so the kyng wente to Parys and the quene to Boyse de Vyncens And they the kyng his counsayle entended for the ordring of the yong erle of Valoyes for he wolde that he shulde go nobly in to HuÌ„gry where as they toke hym for kyng But the mater chaunged otherwyse mashorte season after in the realme of Hungry as ye shall here after It is of trouthe that the quene of HuÌ„gry mother to the yonge lady whome the erle of Valoys had wedded by ê“euracion as ye haue herde before had all her enteÌ„t to make that if god be pleased they wolde make suche a voyage that shulde be to their honour and ê“fyte The kyng than sent out his coÌ„maundement to assemble his power and so at the day assigned he had redy a .xxx. thousande men all on horse backe and as they came they lodged accordynge to the vsage of their countrey I thynke nat all at their ease SIr Iohan de Vyen who had great desyre to ryde and to enploye his tyme in to Englande to do some great enterprise Whan he sawe the scottes were come he sayd Sirs nowe it is tyme to ryde we haue lyen to long styll so than the settyng for warde was publysshed to euery man thaÌ„ they toke their waye to Rosebourcke In this iourney the kyng was nat he abode styll at EdeÌ„borow but all his sonnes were in the army The thou sande complete harnesse that the Frenche men brought with theÌ„ was delyuered to the knightes of Scotlande and of Norwiche who were before but yuell harnessed of the whiche harnesse they had great ioye And so they rode towarde Northumberlande And so longe they rode that they came to the abbey of Mauues there they lodged all about the ryuer of Tymbre and the nexte day they caÌ„e to Morlane and than before Roseboucke The kepar of Roseboure vnder the lorde MoÌ„tagu was a knight called sir Edwarde Clyfforde The admyrall of Fraunce and the scottes taryed and behelde well the castell and all thynges considred they sawe well to assayle it shulde lytell aucyle them for the castell was stronge and well furnysshed with artillary And so than they passed by and drewe a long the ryuer syde aprochyng to Berwyke And so long they rode that they came to two towres right strong whiche were kept by two knightes the Father and the sonne bothe were called sir Iohan Strande Aboute these towres were fayre landes and a fayre place the whiche incontynent were brent the two towres assayled Ther was many feates of armes shewed and dyuers scottes hurte with shotte and cast of stones Finally the towres were wonne and the knightes within by playne assaut yet they defended theÌ„ as longe as they might endure ⸪ ¶ Howe the frenchemen and scottes wanne the castell of Varley and distroyed diuers other townes in Nor thumberlande and howe they with drewe agayne in to ScotlaÌ„de whan they knewe that the kyng of EnglaÌ„de came on them with a great puyssaunce Cap. xi AFter the conquest of thes two towres than they went to another castel called Varley parteyning to the herytage of sir Iohn Montagu and Capitayne there vnder hym was sir Iohan of Lussenborne who had there with hym his wyfe his chyldren and all his good He knewe well before that the scottes wolde come thyder therfore he had purneyed the castel to the best of his power to abyde the assaute So about this castell taryed all the armye This castell stode in a fayre countre by a fayre ryuer whiche cometh out of Tymbre and ronneth in to the see So on a day there was a great assaut and the frenche men bare theÌ„ well the same day moche better than the scottes dyd for they entred in to the dykes and passed through with moche payne There was many feates of armes done what by them aboue and them beneth The frenche men mouÌ„ted vp by ladders and fought hande to hande with daggars on the walles Sir Iohan LusseÌ„borne dyd quyte hym selfe lyke a valyant knight and fought with the frenche men hande to hande on the ladders At this assaute there was slayne a knight of Almaygne called sir Bleres Gastelayne whiche was great domage There were many hurt that day but finally there was so moche people and thassaute so well contynued that the castell was wonne and the knight his wyfe and chyldren taken a .xl. other prisoners And than the castell was
and therle of Foiz howe be it nowe they are in peace But the armynagoise and Labrisience wan but lytell by that warre For on a saynt Nycholas euyn the yere of our lorde a thousande thre huÌ„dred threscore and two Th erle of Foiz toke in batayle therle of Armynake the lorde Dalbret his nephue and all the noble men that were with them and so ledde theÌ„ as prisoners to Ortaise wherby the erle of Foiz hath receyued ten tymes a hundred thousande frankes And it fortuned after that the father of the erle of Armynake nowe lyueng called sir Iohan of Armynake made a iourney toke this towne of Casseres and they had with them a .ii. hundred men of armes and so thought to kepe the towne by strength These tidynges whan they came to the knowledge of the erle of Foiz beynge as thaâ—â—e at Panne He lyke a sage and a valyant knight called to hym two bastard bretherne of his â–ª called â— Arnalt Guyllam and sir Pier de Bierne and sayd to them sirs I wyll ye ryde incontynent to Cassâ—eres I shall sende you men on euery syde and within thre dayes I shal be with you my selfe and let none come out of the towne but that ye fight with theÌ„ for ye shal be stronge ynoughe And whan ye come there cause the men of the countre to bring thyder great plentie of wode busshes and fagottê and choke the gates therwith and than wtout that make stronge barryers for I wyll that they that be within be so enclosed that they issue nat out of the gares I shall cause them to take another way These two knightes dyd his coÌ„mauÌ„dement and so wente to Palamuche all men of warre of Bierne folowed them and so they came before this towne of Casseres they that were within sette lytell by them but they were nat were howe they were enclosed within the towne so that they coulde nat issue oute at any gate And the thirde day the erle of Foiz came thider with fyue huÌ„dred men of armes and as sone as he came he caused barryers to be made rounde about the towne also barriers rouÌ„de about his host bycause they shulde nat be troubled in the night tyme. so in this case they laye longe without any assaut in so moche that vitayle began to fayle them within for thoughe they had wyne great plentie they had nothyng to eate Nor they coulde nat flye awaye by the ryuer for it was as thanÌ„e to depe Than they thought it were better to yelde theÌ„ selfe as prisoners than to dye so shamefully for famyne so fell in treaty Th erle of Foiz agreed to their treatie so that they shulde nat issue oute at no gate but to make a hole in the wall and go out therat to come one by one without armoure so to yelde them as prisoners It behoued theÌ„ to take this waye and so made a hole in the wall and issued oute one by one And there was the erle redy and all his people in order of batayle to receyue them as prisoners and euer as they came out the Erle sent them to dyuers castelles as prisoners and his cosyn sir IohnÌ„ of Armynake sir Bernarde Dalbret and sir Manalt of Barlabason sir RaymoÌ„de de Benache sir Benedicke de la Corneyle and a twentie of the beste personages he ledde with hym to Ortaise and or they departed he had of them two hundred thousande traÌ„keâ— and thus was this hole in the wall made than we wente to our supper And the nexte day we rode a longe by the ryuer of Garon and passed by Palamuche and than we entred in to the lande of the erle of Comynges and Armynake and on the other syde was the ryuer of Garon and the lande of therle of Foiz And as we rode this knight shewed me a stronge towne called Marteras the Toussaâ— ê‘teyninge to therle of Comynges on the other syde of the ryuer on the mouÌ„tayne He shewed me two castelles parteyninge to the erle of Foiz the one called Mountarall and the other Mountclare And as we rode bytwene these townes and castelles a longe by the ryuer of Garon in a fayre medowe this knight sayd to me sir Iohan I haue sene here many fayre scrimysshes and encountrynges bytwene the foizois and armynakes for as than there was no towne nor castell but that was well furnysshed with men of warre so they warred eche vpon other The armynakes agaynst yonder two castelles made a bastyde and kept it with men of warre and dyde moche hurt in the erle of Foiz lande But I shall shewe you howe it fortuned The erle of Foiz on a night sent his brother Peter de Bierne with two huÌ„dred speres and with them a four hundred villayns of the countre charged with fagottê moche wode and busshes and brought it to the bastide and than sette fyre theron and so brent the bastyde and all them that were within without mercy and sithe it was neuer made agayne So in suche deuyses we rode all that day a longe by the ryuer of Garon and what on the one syde and on the other we sawe many fayre castelles and fortresses All that were on our lyfte hande parteyned to therle of Foiz and the other syde parteyned to therle of Armynake And so thus we passed by Montpesac a fayre castell a stroÌ„ge standyng on an highe rocke vnderneth was the towne and the highe way and without the towne a lytell there was a place called ala gardea and a towre bitwene the rocke and the ryuer whiche towre had a gate and a portcolyse of yron sixe men might well kepe this passage agaynst all the worlde for there coulde no man passe but two on a front what for the towre on the one syde the ryuer on the other syde than I sayd to the knyght sir here is a stronge passage and a myghtie countre it is true quod the knight and though thentre be stronge yet the erle of Foiz dyde conquere it ones and he all his passed the same waye with the helpe of the archers of EnglaÌ„de that he had as than in his company and the great desyre that they had to passe in to the countre Come ryde nere me sir quod he I shall shewe you howe it was and so I rode iuste by hym â— and than he sayd Sir on a tyme the Erle of Armynake and the lorde Dalbret with a fyue huÌ„dred men of warre caÌ„e in to the countre of Foiz and to the marches of Pauyers And this was in the begynnynge of August whan men dyd gather in their cornes and the grapes were rype at whiche tyme there was great habundaunce in the countre Than sir Iohan of Armynake and his company lodged before the towne Sauredun a lytell leage fro the cytie of Pauyers And he sente to them of Pauyers that without they wolde bye their cornes and wynes and pay for them they said els they wolde brinne
all men that wolde do any wrong therto reseruyng all onely the frenche kynges persone Than he sette men of warr to watche the wayes and passages where as these robbers pyllars vsed to passe on a daye he toke slewe and drowned of them at Robeston in Tholousin mo than four huÌ„dred wherby he gate great grace and honoure of them of Tholous and of Carcassone of Besyers and Mountpellyer and of other good townes there about so that the renome ran in Fraunce howe they of Languedoke were tourned and had taken to their lorde the erle of Foyz And the duke of Berry who was souerayne there toke therat great displeasure and had therle of Foiz in great hate bycause he medled so farre in the busynesse of Fraunce and wherby he maynteyned them of Tholous styll in their rebellyon agaynst him Than he sente men of warre in to the countre but they were fiersly driuen backe agayne by the erles men so that wheder they wolde or no they were fayne to drawe backe orels they had loste more than they shulde haue wonne With this the duke of Berrey was sore displeased with the erle of Foiz he sayd Howe therle of Foiz was the most presumptuous proudest knight of all the worlde The duke as than coude suffre no good to be spoken of hym howe be it he made hym no warre for the erle of Foiz had alwayes his townes and castelles so well prouyded for that none durste entre in to his lande But whan the duke of Berry came in to Languedocke than he left his rule for he wolde thaÌ„ no lengar exercyse agaynste the duke but the displeasure rested styll after a certayne space But nowe shall I shewe you by what meanes the peace was norisshed bytwene them IT was a ten yere paste that the lady Ellyanour of Comynges as nowe couÌ„tesse of Bouloyne and nere cosyn to therle of Foiz and right enherytour to the countie of Comynges thoughe that the erle of Armynake hadde it in possession She came to Ortaise to therle of Foiz and brought with her a yonge doughter of thre yere of age Th erle her cosyn made her good chere and he demaunded her of her busynesseâ—and wheder she was goynge Sir quod she I am goynge in to Arragon to myne vncle and Aunte the erle of Vrgell and there I purpose to abyde For I haue great displeasure to abyde with my husbande sir Iohan of Boloyne for I thought he wolde haue recouered myne enherytaunce of Comynges fro the erle of Armynake who kepeth it fro me And he hath my suster in prisone and he wyll do no thyng in the mater He is so softe a knight that he wyll do nothynge but take his ease and eate and drinke and to spende that he hath folysshlye and I thynke whan he is erle he wyll take his pleasure more Therfore I wyll no lengar abyde with hym and I haue brought with me my doughter whom I wyll delyuer in to your handes prayenge you to kepe and to norisshe her vp for I trust by reason of her lygnage ye wyll nat fayle thus to do for I haue hoope in you that ye wyll kepe her I had moche payne to gette her awaye out of the countrey and out of the handes of my husbande her father But bycause I take theÌ„ of Armynake myne aduersaries and yoursâ— who wolde gladly steale my doughter awaye bycause she is enherytour of Comynges therfore I haue brought her vnto you Wherfore sir I requyre you fayle me nat at this busynesse And I am sure her father my husbande whan he knoweth that I haue lefte her with you he wyll be right ioyfull â–ª For he hath sayd often tymes to me that this his doughter shulde put hym to great doute And whan the erle had well herde the wordes of the lady Elyanour his cosyn he was right ioyfull And ymagined in him selfe howe that childe after shuld do hym some pleasure as by the meanes of her mother to haue a ferme peace with his enemyes or els to marry her in so highe a place that his ennemyes shulde doute hym therby Than he answered the lady and said Madame and cosyn all that ye desyre I shall do it with right a good wyl for I am bounde therto by lynage and as for your doughter my cosyn I shall kepe her as well as though she were myne owne proper chylde Sir quod she I thanke you Thus the yong doughter of Bouloyne abode with the erle of Foiz at Ortaise and she neuer departed thens sithe and the lady her mother went to Arragon She hath been sithe ones or twyse tose her doughter but she neuer desyred to haue her agayne for therle kepte her as well as if she were his owne chylde And to the purpose as to the meane of the peace that I shewed you the erle ymagined to gette by her the loue agayne of the duke of Berrey And as nowe at this present tyme the duke of Berry hath gret desyre to be marryed and I thynke by that I herde at Auygnon by the Pope who is cosyn germayne to the ladyes father He shewed me howe the duke of Berrey desyreth to haue her in maryage Ah saynt Mary sir quod I howe your wordê be to me right agreable for it hath done me great pleasure all that euer ye haue shewed me whiche shall nat be loste for it shall be putte in remeÌ„braunce and cronycled if god wyll sende me the grace to retourne to the towne of ValenceÌ„nes where as I was borne But sir I am sore displeased of one thynge What is that ê™ he I shall shewe you By my faithe that so hyghe and valyant a prince as the Erle of Foiz is shulde be without laufull issue sir quod the knight if he had one as ones he had he shulde be the most ioyouse prince of the worlde and so wolde be all the couÌ„tre Why sir than quod I is his lande than withoute an heyre Nay sir ê™ he the Vycount of the castell Bone his cosyn germayne is his heyre Is he a valyant man in armes quod I Nay be my faythe sir quod he and therfore the Erle loueth hym nat and thynketh to make his two bastarde soÌ„nes who be right valyant his heyres thynketh to marry them in an highe lygnage for he hath golde and syluer ynough wherby he thynketh to gette theym wyues suche as shall ayde and conforte them Sir quod I it maye well be Howe be it the thyng is nat reasonable that bastardes shulde be made herytours of landes Wherfore nat sir quod he if there lacke good heyres Se you nat howe the spaynierdes haue crowned Henry a bastarde to be kyng and also they of Portyngale crowned a bastarde to their kynge It hath been sene in the worlde in dyuers realmes that bastardes by force hathe reygned Was nat Wyllyam Conquerour bastarde sonne to a duke of Normandy who conquered all Englande and was kynge there so that all the kynges syth are
the prince of Wales house at saynt Andrewes in Burdeaux Another demauÌ„ded what mater was that I shall shewe you quod the other knyght for I was there present There was wyne brought on a day into the princes Chambre where as there were many lordes of Englande with hym whan the prince had dronke bicause sir IohnÌ„ Chandos was constable of Acquitayne the prince sente hym his cuppe first to drinke and he toke the cuppe and dranke and made therof none offre firste to the Erle of Oxenforde who was father to this duke of IrelaÌ„de and after that sir Iohan Chandos had dronke a squyer bare the cuppe to the Erle who hadde suche dispyte that sir Iohan Chandos hadde droÌ„ke before hym that he refused the cuppe wolde nat drinke and sayde to the squyer in maner of a mocke Go to thy mayster Chandos and bydde hym drinke Shall I go said the squyer he hath dronke all redy Therfore drinke you sythe he hath offred it to you if ye wyll nat drinke by saynt George I shall cast the drinke in your face Th erle whan he herd that douted that the Squyer wolde do as he sayde and so toke the cuppe and sette it to his mouthe and dranke or at leest made semblant to drinke And sir Iohan Chandos who was nat farre thens sawe well all the mater and helde hym styll tyll the prince was gone from them Than he came to the Erle and sayde Sir Aubery are ye displeased in that I dranke before you I am Constable of this countrey I maye well drinke before you sythe my lorde the Prince and other lordes here are coÌ„tente therwith It is of trouthe ye were at the batayle of Poycters but suche as were there knoweth nat so well as I what ye dyd theâ— I shall declare it ¶ Whanne that my lorde the Prince hadde made his voyage in Languedocke and Carcassone to Narbone and was retourned hyther to this towne of Bourdeaux ye toke on you to go in to Englande What the Kynge sayde to you at your coÌ„mynge I knowe right well yet I was nat there He demaunded of you if ye hadde furnysshed your voyage and what ye had done with his sonne the Prince ye aunswered howe ye had lefte hym in good helth at Bourdeaux Than the kynge sayde What and howe durste ye be so bolde to retourne without hym I commauÌ„ded you and all other whan ye departed that ye shulde nat retourne without hym on payne of all that ye myght forfayte And you this to retourne I straitly commaunde you that within four dayes ye auoyde my realme and retourne agayne to hym For and I fynde you within this my realme the fifth day ye shall lese your lyfe and all your herytage for euer And ye feared the kynges wordes as it was reason and so auoyded the realme and so your adueÌ„ture and fortune was good for truely ye were with my lorde the prince a foure dayes before the batayle of Poicters And so ye hadde the day of the batayle fourtie speares vnder your charge and I had threfore Nowe ye mayese wheder I ought to drinke before you or nat syth I am constable of â— equytaygne The erle of Orenforde was a shamed and wolde gladlye he hadde ben thens at that tyme but he was fayne to suffre and to here those wordes This sir Iohan Chandos sayde to hym in opyn presence Therfore it is nat to be marueyled thoughe this duke of Irelande who is sonne to the sayd erle of Oxenforde be disdaynfull in folowynge the steppes of his father For he taketh vpon hym to rule all Englande aboue the kynges vncles Well quod some other why shulde he nat sythe the kyng wyll haue it so THus the people in the Realme murmured in dyuers places agaynst the duke of Irelande And he dyde one thyng that greatly abated his honour that was he had firste to his wyfe the doughter of the lorde of Coucy the lady Isabell who was a fayre Lady and a good and of more noble blode than he is of But he fell in loue with another damosell of the quenes of Englande an Almaygne borne and dyde so moche with pope Vrbayne at Rome that he was deuorsed fro the doughter of the lorde Coucy without any tytell of reason but by presumpcion and for his synguler appetyte and than wedded the quenes mayde and kynge Rycharde conseÌ„ted there to he was so blynded with this duke of Irelande that if he had sayd sir this is whyte tho it had ben blacke the kyng wolde nat haue sayd the contrarye This dukes mother was greatly displeased with him for that dede and toke in to her coÌ„pany his first wyfe the lady of Coucy The duke dyde yuell and therfore at length yuell came to hym and this was the first princypall cause that he was behated for in Englande euery thyng that turneth to yuell must haue a begynning of yuell This duke of Irelande trusted so moche in the grace and fauour of the kyng that he beleued that no man shulde trouble hym And it was a coÌ„mon renome through EnglaÌ„de that theâ— shulde be a newe taxe raysed through the realme that euery fyre shulde paye a noble and the riche to beare out the poore The kynges vncles knewe well it wolde be a harde mater to bringe about And they had caused certayne wordes to be sowen abrode in the cyties and good townes of Englande as to saye howe the people of Englande were sore greued with tares and talenges and howe there was great rychesse raysed and that the common people wolde haue accomptes of the gouernours therof as the archebysshop of yorke the duke of Irelande sir Symon Burle sir Mychaell de la Pole sir Nycholas BraÌ„ble sir Robert Tryâ—â—lyen ser Peter Golouser sir Iohan Salisbury sir Iohan Beauchampe and the maisters of the Staple of the wolles The commons sayd that if they wolde make a trewe accoÌ„pte there shulde be founde golde and syluer suffycient without raysing of any newe subsydies It is a common vsage none is gladde to pay money nor to opyn their purses if they may lette it THis brute and noyse spredde so a brode in Englande and specially in the cytie of London whiche is chyefe cytie in the realme that all the coÌ„mons rose and sayde howe they wolde knowe howe the realme was gouerned sayenge howe it was longe syth any accompte was made Firste these londoners drewe theym to syr Thomas of Woodstocke duke of Gloucestre thoughe he were yonger brother than sir Edmonde duke of yorke The common people reputed the duke of Glocestre for a valyant and a sage discrete parson And whan they came before hym they sayde Syr the good cytie of London recoÌ„maundeth them to you and all the people ingenerall requireth you to take vpon you the gouernynge of the realme For they knowe well it is nat vnknowen to you howe the kynge and the realme is gouerned The coÌ„mon people complayneth them sore for the kynges counsayle demaundeth tayles
gouernynge of his vncles euer syth the dethe of the laste kynge his father shulde than take on himselfe the gouernynge and charge of his hole realme and his vncles to cease of the gouernynge for they had ynough to do in other busynesses The kynge as thanne was paste twenty yere of age This was openly publysshed and euery man thought it was resonable The kynge came to Rennes at the feest of all sayntes and there helde a great feest and his vncles with hym And there they had fyrst knowledge that the Kynge of Castyle and the duke of LaÌ„castre were coÌ„cluded vpon a peace and vpon a maryage to be had bytwene the kinges sonne and the dukes doughter Than the frenche kyng sported with the duke of Berrey and sayde Fayre vncle ye haue fayled of your entent a nother is lyke to enioy the wyfe that ye wolde haue had howe say you therto what sayeth your corage The duke of Berrey sayde Syr I saye nothynge but well if I haue fayled there I shall spede in some other place Than the frenche men beganne to murmure vpon this maryage and said this can nat be done without great alyauÌ„ces whiche shal be a thynge greatly preiudycyall in tyme to come to the realme of FrauÌ„ce And suche as considred the botom of the mater said howe that if Castyle Englande and Portugale be all of one alyaunce and accorde these thre realmes what by see and by lande they maye make warre to the realme of Fraunce Wherfore they sayde it were good that the kynge shulde sende and prouyde remedy by tymes consydringe that this vnhappy kyng of Castyle hath made alyauÌ„ce in maner with a deed man For the duke of lancastre is as a man without men and puyssaunce Nor also they sayde howe the kyng of Castyll ought nat to make any aliauÌ„ce with any man with out the counsayle of the Frenche kynge If he do the kynge maye sende hym worde that he wyll make hym as lowe a varlette as he hath made hym a great lorde Lette the kynge make warre agaynste the realme of Castyle and putte out the vnhappy kyng sonne to a bastarde and lette the kyng gyue the realme to his owne brother the duke of Thourayne who as yet hath no great herytage he shall well and sagely gouerne it Howe can or dare this kynge of Castyle make or treate for any peace or alyaunce with the duke of Lancastre without the knowledge or coÌ„sent of the Frenche kynge who hath so moche ayded honoured and auaunsed hym He had loste his realme if the puissaunce and blode royall of Fraunce had nat ben He hath well marchaundysed and yet he wyll marchaundyse But if it be as it is sayd lette hym be shamed and disheryted and lette hym haue suche punysshment that he may well knowe that he hath yuell done THese wordes multiplyed in suche wyse that all thynges consydered The kynge and his vncles and his counsayle determyned to sende in to Castyle to kynge Iohan and to shewe hym on the Frenche kynges behalfe that he be well aduysed and take hede what he dothe And that he be nat so hardy to make any treatie or alyaunce with the Englysshe men nor with the duke of Lancastre in any thyng that shulde be preiudyciall to the Crowne or realme of Fraunce And if he haue done or do or thynketh to do Lette hym be sure that the puyssaunce of Fraunce shall as moche or more sette hym a backe and hynder hym as it hath auaunsed hym before And that the kynge and the realme shall entende to do nothynge elles but to distroye hym Than it was consydred who shulde do this message And it was thought that who soeuer shulde do it ought to be a hardy man well spoken and sagely and valiauntly to declare the kynges pleasure It was thought that a meane and a symple persone ought nat to do that message Than there were thre persones named the lorde of Coucy sir Iohan of Vyen admyrall of Fraunce sir Guye de la Tremoyle Of these thre to take one to go in to Castyle on this voyage And all thynges consydred sir Iohan of Vyenne was apoynted to go Than the kynge and his counsayle sayd vnto hym Admyrall make you redy ye shall go on this voyage and ye shall haue none other letters to the kyng of Castyle but of credence ye are suffycieÌ„tly enstructed of the mater whervpon ye be sente And saye vnto the kynge of Spaygne that he aduyse well and cause to be aduysed And to rede and cause to be reed the alyaunces ordynaunces and ê“myses sworne and sealed bytwene hym and vs and marke well youre aunswere that ye shall haue of hym and of his counsayle and thervpon we shall take our grounde to procede farther The admyrall aunswered and sayd it shal be done ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the Admyrall of Fraunce was ordayned by the Frenche kyng and his counsayle as ambassadour to go to the kynge of Castyle And howe the Duke of Berrey sente to the erle of Foize to treate for a maryage bytwene the duke of Berrey the erles doughter of Boulonge Cap. C.li. THe admyrall of FrauÌ„ce taryed nat long at Paris but made hym quickely redye to departe and tooke his leaue of the kyng and of his vncles and tooke his waye by Burgoyne bycause he wolde go by Auygnone to se the pope and his brother and so he dyde ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue spekyng of hym and speke somwhat of Geffray Tete noyre who was enclosed and besieged within the castell of Vandachore But fyrste we wyll speke of the duke of Berrey who had great desyre to mary as he well shewed within that yere Whan he sawe that he had fayled of the duke of Lancasters doughter he was enfourmed that the erle of Boulonge had a fayre doughter named Iane doughter to the lady Elyanour of Comynges howe be it she was nat with her father nor with her moder she was in the countrey of Bierne with the Erle of Foiz her great frende and cosyn She hadde ben there brought vp and nourysshed well entreated the space of nyne yeres in the castell of Ortayes without cost or charge to father or mother The erle often tymes hadde been desyred to haue had her maryed but alwayes the erle aunswered that the damosell was to yonge Specially sir Bernarde brother to the erle of Armynacke hadde desyred to haue her and promysed that if he myght haue her in maryage the warre shulde ende bytwene them for the chalenge of the lande of Byerne But for all those promyses the erle wolde nat agree therto but aunswered euer howe that his cosyn was to yonge but amonge his owne men he wolde saye otherwyse For as sir Espaygne du Lyon shewed me he wolde saye howe they of Armynacke myght well repute hym for a beest if he shulde graunt their desyre seynge it was to his doÌ„mage For if he shulde graunt theym his cosyn in maryage he shulde strength them and enfeble
hym selfe Sayeng howe they of Armynake helde by force and nat of right the countie of Comynges the whiche herytage is by his mother and aunte to my cosyn of Boloyne I wyll well they knowe I shall mary her in so stronge a place and puissaunt to make warre with them for the herytage of Comynges For as nowe there is none to answere but a deed man THus whan the erle of Armynacke sir Bernarde his brother sawe that they coulde nat come to their purpose as long as her aunte lyued Than they sayde to the duke of Berrey that this lady shulde be a fayre maryage for IohnÌ„ of Berrey his sonne And by their settynge on the duke sente suffycient and noble messangers in to Byerne to the erle of Foiz Desyringe hym that all yuell wyll might be sette aparte and euery thynge pardoned of tymes paste and that he myght haue the damosell of Boulonge for Iohan his sonne in maryage So that the erle of Boulonge father to the damosell dyde therto agree and assent Th erle of Foiz made good chere to these aÌ„bassadors but he excused hym for that maryage sayd howe the lady his cosyn was to yonge And also he sayde howe that whan the countesse of Boulonge her mother delyuered her in to his charge She caused hym to swere that he shulde neuer mary her in no place withher knowledge and consent And in no wyse he sayde he myght nor wolde nat breake his promyse nor othe and he sayd none ought to desyre hym thervnto This excuse the Erle made for he knewe well that his cosyn of Comynges who was with the erle of Vrgell her brother in the realme of Arragon wolde nat agree thervnto Thus the ambassadors of the duke of Berrey retourned without any thyng doyng to their purpose And whan they were gone as sir Espaygne du Lyon shewed me the erle sayde ah The duke of Berrey and his couÌ„sayle myght well repute me for an ignorant whan he wolde haue me to enforce myne ennemyes Iohan of Berry is cosyn germayn to myne aduersaries of Armynake that bargayne shall I neuer make I shall rather mary her in to Englande It hath been spoken of to sir Henry of Lancastre erle of Derby sonne to the duke of Lancastre If I thought nat greatly to displease the Frenche kynge there shulde none other haue her but he as yet I knowe nat what I wyll do for I shall rather mary her at my pleasure than they of Armynake shulde haue her agaynste my wyll In me it lyeth to do or to leaue I nede nat to trouble my selfe in the mater Whan the duke of Berrey knewe the certeÌ„lie that the duke of LaÌ„castre shulde mary his doughter to the king of Castyls sonÌ„e that he coude nat breke that maryage in no wyse he was a .v. or sixe dayes so pensyue that none about hym durst demauÌ„de what he ayled at last he declared his entent to theÌ„ of his counsaile than they said to hym sir if ye haue fayled of the duke of Lancasters doughter ye maye recouer another as great and as good as she is howe be it she is very yonge for your age Wherfore we can nat tell if the erle of Foiz wyll refuce it for that cause who hath the lady in his gouernaunce Ah quod the duke that is the doughter of the Erle of Boulonge the erle of Foiz hath refused Iohan of Berrey howe be it in the name of god let vs yet assaye Than the duke wrote to the Erle of Foiz signifyeng hym ryght swetely that he wolde sende to hym four lordes as therle of Xancere the lorde de la Ryuer sir Guy de la Tremoyle and the Vycount Dassey to treate with hym to haue for hym selfe in maryage the doughter of Boulonge beyng vnder his kepyng so it maye be to his pleasure and desyred the erle to sende hym an answere in writyng the hole of his mynde to th entent that his messangers shulde nat traueyle in vayne nor lese there payne The erle of Foiz receyued the messaÌ„gers that brought the writtynge ryght amyably and wrote agayne by them to the duke of Berrey sayeng howe he was right gladde of those tidynges wolde be redy to receyue the sayd lordes outher in Foiz or in Byerne so that the Erle of Boulonge and the couÌ„tesse father and mother to the lady be agreed thervnto And at their retourne whan the duke of Berey herde his answere he was right ioyfull and all that wynter styll he pursued what here there that he myght attayne to this maryage the nexte somer after He coude nat bring his purpose aboute shortely for he knewe well the erle of Foiz was no man lightly to be wonne for he was sure he shulde haue many delays wherfore the duke thought to worke wysely sent specyall messangers to pope Clement who was cosyn and nere a kyn to the damosell of BouloÌ„ge The pope was right ioyouse whaÌ„ he knewe that his cosyn might to highly be maryed as to the duke of Berrey vncle to the FreÌ„che kyng Than the pope wrote to therle of Foiz signifyeng hym right honorably aduysinge hym that he shulde nat vary fro the treatie of that maryage for therby their lynage shulde be enhaunsed Thus the erle of Foiz receyued letters fro all parties he answered them all for right well he coude dissimule in suche busynesse He helde all the parties in good loue and fauour bothe the pope and the duke of Berrey yet there was nat the wysest of theÌ„ bothe nor of their counfayls that coude knowe perfitely what the erle of Foiz thought surely to do ¶ Nowe lette vs somwhat leaue speakyng of this mater and retourne to the siege of Vanchadore ye haue herde here before in this hystorie how sir WyllmÌ„ Lignac and sir IohnÌ„ Boemlaunce dyuers other knightes and squiers of Auuergne and Limosin had besieged the castell of VaÌ„chadore and Geffray Tete noyre within But they coude nat wyn it by no maner of assaut for they within were prouyded of all thynges necessary for .vii. yere though they had no refresshyng They without ofte tymes wolde come out of their bastydes and scrimysshe Durynge the siege many feates of armes were done dyuers hurt on bothe ê‘tes And so it fortuned at a scrimysshe Geffray Tete noyre was there hym selfe auauÌ„sed so forwarde that he was striken through the bassenet in to the heed with a quarell so that he was fayne to kepe his bedde wherw t all his company was sore displeased and the season that he lay there was no scrimysshiÌ„g of this hurt if he had ben well kept he might sone haue ben hole but he kept hym selfe but yuell and specially fro lechery the whiche he derely bought for it cost hym his lyfe but or he died he knewe well before there was no remedy but dethe For it was playnly shewed hym by reason of his yuell rule He was in ieoê‘dy of dethe for his hed
of the kynge to go to Mantuell the kyng sent with her of the greatest men of the courte to a company her Thus she came to Mantuell and dyd so moche that she knewe the trouth where her father was buryed Than he was dygged vp and his bones wasshed and bawmed and wrapped in leade and brought to the cytie of Ciuyll and there receyued with processyon without the cytie and the bones brought in to the cathedrall churche and there reuerently and solēply his obsequy was done and there at was king Iohan and his yonge sonne the prince of Galyce and the most parte of prelates and barons of the realme After the obsequy doone euery man retourned to their owne places The kynge of Castyle wente to the vale of Sory and his son̄e and his yonge wyfe with hym and the duchesse of Lancastre to Medena de Campo a good towne wherof she was lady by reason of the confyrmacyon of the peace there she lay a season ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue to speke of them and of Castyle tyll a nother tyme and let vs speke of the maryage of the duke of Berrey and also of other insydentes that folowed THe duke of Berrey who had maryed the lady Iane of Armynake to his first wyfe after she was dysseased he hadde great imagynacyon to be maryed agayne and that he well shewed for whan he sawe howe he had myssed of the duke of Lancastres doughter he than set clerkes to write and sent messangers to therle Gascon of Foiz who had the kepyng of the erle of Boulonges doughter more than the space of nyne yeres And bycause the duke of Berrey coulde nat come to this maryage but by the daunger of the erle of Foize for nother for pope father mother nor frende that the damosell had the erle wolde do nothynge without it were his owne pleasure Than the duke of Berrey desyred effectuously the frēch kynge his nephue and the duke of Burgoyne his brother to helpe and assyst hym in this maryage THe frenche kyng laught and had good sporte at the duke of Berrey his vncle bycause he was olde and so hote in loue and said to him Fayre vncle what shall ye do with a yonge mayde she is nat twelue yere of age and ye be .xl. by my faythe it is great foly for you to thynke therof speke for my cosyn Iohan your sonne he is yonge the mater is more mete for hym than for you syr quod the duke I haue speken all redy for my sonne but the erle of Foize wyll in no wyse agree therto bycause my sonne is of the blode of them of Armynake who be at warre togyder and haue ben longe If the lady be yonge I shall spare her a thre or four yere tyll she be a parfyte woman Well fayre vncle quod the kyng I feare me she wyll nat spare you so longe but seynge ye haue so great affection therto I shall ayde you as moche as I may It was nat longe after but that the kynge ordayned the lorde de la Ryuer and syr Bureau his souerayne chamberlayne to go in that voyage to the erle of Foiz and with them the erle of Dassy And the duke of Burgoyne ordeyned to go thyder on his be halfe the bysshop of Anthune and sir Gylliam of Tremoyle and the duke of Berrey desyred Iohan erle of Sanxer a sage and a valyaunt knyght to go with the other These fyue lordes were apoynted to go to the erle of Foize and to desyre to haue the yonge lady in maryage for the duke of Berrey These lordes departed and apoynted to mete togyder at Auignon with pope Clement about Candelmas they departed and toke the waye to Nysmes and so to Auignon They passed by Mounte pellyer and rode by small iourneys and great exspence and passed by Besyers and came to Carcassone and there they founde sir Loys of Xancere marshall of Fraunce who receyued them with good there and he shewed theym moche of the erle of Foiz estate for he had ben there within two monthes before Than they departed fro Carcassone and wente to Tholous and there rested and than sente messangers to the erle of Foiz to Ortays in Byerne And there began to treate for this maryage but it was farre of for at the begynnynge the Erle of Foyze was colde bycause the duke of Lancastre had sente to hym to haue the same lady for his sonne the lorde Henry erle of Derby By reason of this longe taryenge and delayeng of this treatye it was said and noysed that the maryage shulde nat be And all their aunsweres that they had fro the erle of Foize wickely they sente worde therof to the duke of Berrey who was at Nonnecte in Auuergne And the duke who had none other desyre but to bringe the mater aboute wrote often tymes agayne to them with fresshe messangers desyrynge them nat to cease tyll they had brought the mater to passe And the erle of Foyze who was sage and subtyle sawe well the ardent desyre that the duke of Berrey had and the hoter that he was the colder was he and he handeled the matter so wysely that by the full agrement of all partyes and yet sore desyred therto he hadde thyrty thousande frankes for the charges of the ladyes expenses for suche yeres as she had been with hym if he had more demaūded more he shulde haue had but he dyd it so to haue thanke of the duke of Berrey and that he shulde perceyue that he had done some what for hym WHan this mater was concluded and all partyes agreed thanne the erle of Foiz sente his cosyn the lady to Morleaus accompanyed with fyue hundred speares of whome were capytayns syr Espaigne du Lynn syr Raynolde Guyllam syr Peter Calestan sir Adam of Cacasse sir Manalte of Nonnables and sir Pier of Kees and in the feldes the lady was delyuered to the frenche ambassadours on the behalfe of the duke of Berrey There was syr Loys of Xancere with a fyue hundred speares and other company who receyued the lady and there tooke their leaues and departed They of Foize retourned and the frenche men ledde forthe the lady The duke of Berrey had sente to her chares and chareottes rychely garnysshed and horse hackeneys and aparell for her body and for her heed as fresshe and as ryche as though it had been for the frenche quene Thus they rode forthe and I sir Iohan Froysart auctor of this boke rode in their company for often tymes whan I wolde haue taken leaue of the erle of Foiz he wolde saye to me howe I had no dede to make so great haste and badde me whan I wolde retourne to go in good company so I retourned in this sayde company This yonge duchesse of Berrey for so I wyll name her fro hence forthe and all her company rode so longe that they came nere to Auignon There she rested at a towne called Vile Neufe without the towne of Auignon in a house
apparelled lyke angelles swetely syngynge And amonge them an ymage of our lady holdyng in fygure a lytell chylde playeng by hym selfe with a lytell myll made of a great nutte This Heuyn was hyghe and richely apparelled with the armes of Fraunce with a baner of the sonne shynyng of golde castyng his rayes This was deuysed by the kynge for the feest of the iustes The quene and the other ladyes as they passed vnder in at the gate they had great pleasure to beholde it and so had all other that passed by Than whan the Quene and the ladyes were paste by than they came a softe pace before the foūtayne in a strete of saynt Denice whiche condyte was couered ouer with a clothe of fyne asure paynted full of Floure de lyces of golde and the pyllers were serte full of the armes of dyuers noble lordes of Fraunce and out of this foūtayn there issued in great stremes Punent and clarre And about this foūtayne there were yonge maydens richely apparelled with ryche chapelettes on their heedes synginge melodiously Great pleasure it was to here them And they helde in their handes Cuppes and goblettes of golde offryng and gyueng to drinke all suche as passed by And the quene rested there and regarded them and had great pleasure of that deuyse and so dyde all other ladyes and damoselles that sawe it THan after vnder the mynster of the Trinyte in the strete there was a stage and thervpon a castell And a longe on the stage there was ordeyned the Passe of kynge Salhadyn and all their dedes in personages the Christen men on the one parte and the Sarazins on the other parte there was in personages all the lordes of name that of olde tyme hadde ben armed and had done any feates of armes at the Passe of Salhadyne and were armed with suche armure as they than vsed And thanne a lytell aboue them there was in personages the Frenche kynge and the twelue peeres of Fraunce armed with the blason of their armes whan the Frenche quenes lytter was come before this stage she rested there a season Thanne the personages on the stage of kyng Rycharde departed fro his company and wente to the Frenche kynge and demaunded lycence to go and assayle the Sarazins and the kyng gaue hym leaue Than kynge Rycharde retourned to his twelue companyons Than̄e they all sette them in order and incontynent wente assayled the kynge Salhadyne and the Sarazins There in sporte there semed a great bataile and it endured a good space This pagiaunt was well regarded Than̄e the quene passed forthe and came to the secōde gate of saynt Denyce And there was a castell ordayned as was at the fyrste gate and a heuyn clouded and full of sterres richely deuysed and therin the fygure of God lyttynge in maiestie the father the sonne and the holygoost And within the Heuyn chyldren in fygure of angelles swetely syngyng whiche pagiaunt was greatly praysed And as the quenes lytter passed vnder the gate of Paradise there were two angelles came out and came downe holdynge in their handes a ryche crowne of golde garnysshed with precious stones And they sette fayre and easely the crowne on the quenes heed synging right swetely this verse Dame as ye be enclosed bytwene the Floure de lyces so ye be quene of the realme of Fraunce so drewe agayne in to paradyse Than they passed forthe and came before the chapell of saynt Iames. And there was a scaffolde richely deuysed on the right hande as the quene rode couered ouer with ryche arras and drawen aboute with curteyns in maner of a chambre And within there were mē playeng vpon orgās ryght swetely And all the strete of saynt Denyce was couered ouer with clothes of sylke and chamlet suche plentie as thoughe suche clothes shulde cost nothynge And I sir Iohan Froissart authour of this hystorie was present and sawe all this and had great marueyle where suche nombre of clothes of sylke were goten There was as great plentie as though they had ben ī Alysandre or Damas and all the houses on bothe sides of the great strete of saynt Denice vnto the bridge of Parys were hanged with clothes of Arras of dyuers histories the whiche was pleasure to beholde Thus they passed forthe a soft pace and so came to the gate of the chatelet of Parys and there the quene rested to se the other goodly deuyses that were there ordayned AT the gate of the chatelet of Parys there was a castell made of woode tymbre as strōgly made as it shuld haue endured .xl. yeres The whiche castell was enbatylled and at euery lope there was a man of armes armed at all peces And in the same castell there was a bedde made richely encourteyned and apparelled as it had been to haue stande in the kynges chambre this bedde was called the bedde of Iustyce and in this bedde there lay by figure saynt Anne in this castell there was a playne for the castell cōteyned a gret space this playne was full of trees and full of Hares cones byrdes that flewe in and out For whan they were a brode they flewe thider agayne for feare of the people And out of these trees there issued a whyte Harte and wente to the bedde of Iustyce and out of the other parte of the wode there issued out a Lyon and an Egle properlye and fresshely approched the Harte and the bedde of Iustyce Than came there out of the trees a .xii. yonge maydens richely apparelled with chapelettes of golde on their heedes holdynge naked swordes in their hādes and they wente bytwene the Harte the Lyon and the Egle and there they shewed them selfe redy to defende the Harte and the bedde of Iustyce This deuyse the quene and all other had great pleasure to regarde than they passed forthe and came to the bridge of Parys whiche was couered and richely besene The couerynge of grene and crimosyn full of sterres and the stretes hanged to our ladyes churche And by that tyme that the quene and the ladyes were paste the bridge and approched to the churche of oure Lady it was late For all the waye as they wente they rode but a softe pace And or the Quene and the ladies entred in to the churche of our Lady they foūde by they waye other playes and pastymes greatly to their pleasure AMonge all other there was a mayster came out of Geane He had tied a corde on the hyghest house on the bridge of saynt Myghell ouer all the houses and the other ende was tyed on the hyghest towre in our ladies churche And as the quene passed by and was in the great strete called out ladyes strete bycause it was late This sayde mayster with two brinnynge candelles in his handes issued out of a lytell stage that he had made on the hyght of our ladyes towre And syngyng he went vpon the corde all a longe the great strete so that all that sawe hym hadde marueyle howe it
Iohan of Beauforde bastarde sonne to the duke of Lancastre with his baner displayed sir Iohan Butler Englysshe with a penon sir Iohan of Crama with a baner the Souldyche of Lestrade with penon sir Iohan Harcourt with baner and the lorde Beraulte erle of Cleremount and the Dolphin of Auuergne with baner and sir Hugh Dolphyn his brother with penon the lorde of Bertencourt with penon the lorde Pyer Buffyer with baner the lorde of saynt Semere with baner the lorde of Lauuart marshall of the hoost with baner the lorde Bergue of Beausse with penon the lorde of Louuy with baner sir Gerarde of Lymoâ—yn his brother with penon the lorde of saynt Germayne with baner And than the penon and staÌ„derde with the deuyce of the duke of Burgoyn sir Philyppe of Barre with baner sir Geffray of Charney with baner sir Loyes of Poicters with penon sir Robert of Calabre with penon the vycount of Ses with baner the lorde Montague with baner the lorde of Vyle Neufe with penon sir Wyllyam of Molyne with penon the lorde of LoÌ„gny with penon sir Angorget Damboyse with penon sir Aleyne of ChaÌ„payne with penon all these baners and penons were sette in the front before the towne of Aufryke and besyde that a great nombre of other knyghtes and squyers ryght valyaunt men and â—fhighe corage were lodged abrode in the felde I cannat name them all also it wolde be to long a writyng There were a fourtene thousande all gentylmen It was a companye to do a great feate and to susteyne a great batyle if the sarazyns had come forthe to haue gyuen them batayle whiche they dyd nat for as on that day they shewed no maner of defence but castyng out of their towres great stones WHan the Christen men were lodged as well as they myght refresshed them selfes with suche as they had brought with them for they myght nat ryn abrode in the countrey to gather bowes of trees to make with all their lodgynges â—or it had ben to their domage if they had aduentured themselfe abrode The lordes had tentes and pauilioÌ„s that they had brought with them fro Geane Thus they lodged in good order the crosbowes of the genouoys were lodged on the wynges and closed in the lordes They occupyed a great space of grouÌ„de for they were a great nombre all their prouisyons were in the galees and all the day the maryners conueyed their stuffe to â—ande by bottes And whan the christen ysles adioynyng as Naplesâ— Cicyll and also the mayne landes as Puylle and Calabre Whan they knewe howe the Christen men had besieged the strong castell of Aufryke they dyd what they coude to vitayle the christen army some to haue aduauÌ„tage therby and some for loue and affection that they had to the genouoys fro the ysle of Caude came to them the good malueysies in great plenty without whiche conforte they coude nat longe haue endured for they were a great nombre and good drinkers and good caters Howe be it their prouisâ—ons came nat alwayes to theÌ„ in lyke maner for somtyme they had plentie and some season they wanted ¶ Nowe I shall somwhat speke of the sarazyns aswell as I haue done of the christen men as it is reason to coÌ„clude all thynges Trewe it was that they of Aufrike and of Barbary knewe longe before howe the genowayes hadde thretned them and they loked for none other thyng but the same yere to be besieged as they were in dede They hadde made prouisyon to resyst agaynst it whan the tidynges were sprede abrode in the countrey howe that the christenmen were come to Aufryke they were in dout for he is nat wise that feareth nat his ennemyes thoughe they be neuer so fewe Howe be it the sarazyns reputed the christen men right valyant good men of warre wherfore they greatly douted them and to the entent to resyst to defende the fronters of their countreys they assembled toguyder of dyuers parties as they of the lande and seignorie of Aufrike and of the realme of Maroche and of the realme of Bougye the best men of warre in all those countreis and suche as leest feared dethe Thus they came and lodged on the sandes agaynst the christen men and they had behynde them an highe wode to th entent that they shulde receyue on that syde no doÌ„mage by meanes of busshmentes or scrimysshes These sarazins lodged them selfes right sagely surely they were of men of warre a .xxx. thousande good archers and ten thousande horsemen and mo Howe be it the Christen men coude neuer knowe surely what nombre they were for they supposed they had a greater nombre lodged in the woodes whiche myght ryght well be For they were in their owne couÌ„tre and might go and come in to their host at all houres without paryll or dommage at their owne lybertie They were often tymes refresshed with newe vitayls brought to them on somers and camelles And the secoÌ„de day that the Englysshe men had been a lande in the mornyng at the breke of the day and that the same nyght the lorde Henry Dautoygne had kepte the watche with two hundred men of armes and a thousande crosbowes genowayes The sarazyns came to awake and to scrimysshe with theym whiche endured the space of tow houres There were many dedes of armes atchyued but the sarazins wolde nat ioyne to fyght hande to hande but they scrimysshed with castyng of dartes and shotynge and wolde nat folysshely aduenture theÌ„selfes but wisely and sagely reculed the christen hoost than apparelled them to go to the scrimysshe and some of the great lordes of Fraunce came thyder to se the deme anour of the sarazyns therby to know a nâ—ther tyme their maner in skrymysshynge Thus the sarazyns drewe to their lodgynge and the crysten men to theirs And durynge the siege the crysten men were neuer in suretie nor rest for outher euenynge or mornynge the sarazyns wolde awake them and skrymysshe Amonge the sarazyns there was a yonge knight called Agadingor Dolyferne he was alwayes well mounted on a redy and a lyght horse it semed whan the horse ranne that he dyd flye in the ayre The knyght semed to be a good man of armes by his dedes he bare always of vsage thre fedred dartes and ryght well he coulde handle them and acordynge to their custome he was clene armed with a long whyte to well aboute his heed His aparell was blacke and his owne coloure browne and a good horseman The crysten men sayde they thought he dyd suche dedes for the loue of some yonge lady of his countrey And trewe it was that he loued entyrely the kynge of Thunes doughter named the lady Azala she was enherytour to the realme of Thunes after the discease of the kyng her father This Agadingor was sonne to the duke of Olyferne I can nat tell if they were maryed togyther after or nat but it was shewed me that this knyght for loue of
and put him out for the dowry of his doughter Thus the duke of Berreys two doughters were bothe wydowes in one yere the eldest called Boesme was countesse of Sauoy and her husbande the yonge erle of Sauoy called Ame dyed the same yere ryght marueylously of whose deth there came great busynesse and it was layde to sir Othe of Grauâ—â—ome in suche wyse that he was fayne to flye out of Sauoy and out of Fraunce and Almayne and so wente dwelte in the realme of Englande ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Of the sodayne dethe of the Erle Gascon of Foiz and howe the erle of Chastellon came to then herytauÌ„ce Cap. C.lxxx THe same seasone also dyed the noble and gentle erle of Foiz ryght marueylously I shal shewe you by what incydente Truely of all sportes this Erle loued huÌ„tynge with houndes and grey houndes and of them he was well prouyded for always he had at his coÌ„maundement mo than .xvi. hundred The erle as than was at Barrey in the marches of Orthays and wente dayly a huntynge in to the woodes of Saluaterra the way to Panpylona in Nauerre and the same daye that he dyed he had hunted and kylled a beare and by that tyme it was high noone Than the erle demaunded of them that were aboute hym where his dyner was prouyded It was shewed him at the hospytall of Ryon a two lytell myles fro Ortays and so thyder he rode to dyner and so a lyghted there and went in to his chambre the whiche was strawed with grene herbes the walles sette full of grene bowes to make the chambre more fressh for the ayre without was marueylously hote as in the moneth of May. Whan he felte that fresshe ayre he sayd A this fresshnesse dothe me moche good for the daye hath been very hoote and so sate downe in a chayre Than he talked and deuysed with syr Espayne du lyon of his houndes whiche had ronne best and as he thus deuysed there caÌ„e in to the chambre sir Ienbayne his bastarde sonne and sir Peter of Cabestan and the tables were redy couered in the same chambre Than water was brought forthe to wasshe and Coiandon of Spaygne toke asyluer bason and sir Tybaulte toke the towell Than the erle rose put out his handes to wasshe and as sone as the colde water fell on his fyngars he waxed pale in the face and sodainly her herte fayled hym and so fell downe and in the fallynge sayd Ah I am but deed God haue mercy on me He neuer spake worde after howe be it he dyed nat so soone but laye in great payne The knyghtes that were about hym were sore abasshed and so was his soone They tooke hym in their armes and layde hym on a bedde and couered hym trusstynge that he was but in a traunce The .ii. knyghtes that had gyuen hym water to the entent that it shulde nat be sayde that they had enpoysoned hym toke the bason and the ewer and sayde Sirs here in your presence beholde here this water the whiche we toke assaye of and yet wyll do And there they draÌ„ke therof so that euery man was coÌ„tent with them They put in to the erles mouthe drinke and spyces and other thynges comfortable but all that aueyled nothyng For in lesse than halfe an houre he was deed and yelded vp his brethe swetely God of his pytie haue mercy on him all such as were there were greatly troubled and abasshed Than they closed the Chambre doore to the entent that his dethe shulde nat be so sodaynly knowen abrode The knightes behelde sir Ienbayne his sonne who wepte pituously and wrang his haÌ„des And the knightes that were with hym sayde Sir Ienbayne ye haue nowe loste youre father We knowe well he loued you entierly Leaue your sorowe and leape on your horse and ryde to Orthayes Take you possessyon of the castell and of your fathers treasoure that is within it or euer the dethe of your father be knowen abrode Sir Ienbayne enclyned to those wordes sayd Sirs I thanke you of your good couusaile the whiche I shall deserue But thanÌ„e lette me haue some token that is on my father or elles I shall nat be suffred to entre in to the castell That is trewe sir quod they take soÌ„e token fro your father Than he toke a rynge fro his fathers fynger and a Knyfe that he bare alwayes about hym These tokens the porter of the castell knewe well If he hadde nat brought them he shulde nat haue enered in there THus sir Ienbayne of Foiz deê‘ted from the hospytall of Ryone and thre with hym and rode in haste to the castell of Orthayes He rode throughe the towne no man mystrusted hym and so came to the Castell and called the Porter who aunswered and sayd sir what wolde you haue Where is my lorde your Father He is at the hospytall of Ryon quod the knyght and hath sent me for certayne thynges that is in his chambre and than I must returne agayne to him And to the entent that thou shuldest beleue me Beholde here his rynge and knyfe The porter opyned a wyndowe and sawe the tokyns whiche he knewe well Than the porter opyned the wicket and he entred in his varlettes dyd set vp his horse As soone as he was entred he sayde to the porter Close agayne the gate Than he toke the porter and sayd Delyuer me the kayes or els thou arte but deed The porter was abasshed sayde Sir why say ye thus Bycause quod he my father is deed and I wyll haue the possessyon of his treasour or any other come here The porter obeyed for he durst do none otherwise and he loued sir Ienbayne as well as another The knyght knewe ryght well where the treasour laye whiche was in a stronge towre wherto belonged thre stronge dores surely bolted and barred and dyuers kayes parteynyng to them Whiche kayes he coude nat fynde redely for they were in a cofer of stele and locked with a lytell kaye of Stele whiche kaye the erle euer bare on hym whersoeuer he wente in a lytell purse aboute his necke Whiche after sir Ienbayne was departed fro the hospytall was founde by the knightes that were about the deed corse thaÌ„ they marueyled what kaye it shulde be that the erle bare so priuely about hym selfe than therles chapelayne called sir Nicholas of Escall who knewe all the erles secretes for the erle loued hym well euer whan he went in to his treasorie house he had his chapelayne with hym sayde As soone as he sawe the kaye Ah sir Ienbayne hath but lost his payne for this is the kaye of a lytell cofer wherin are all the kayes of the Towre and cofer wher all the Erles treasour lyeth Than the knyghtes sayde Sir Nicholas Go ryde you to Orthayes and beare hym the kaye Sirs quod he sythe ye gyue me the counsayle I shall do it for it were better he had his fathers treasoure than another and also I knowe well his
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
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
kynge a poore man bare heeded bare legged and bare footed and on his body a poore whyte cote he semed rather to be a foole than wyse and boldely sodaynly he toke the brydell of the kynges horse in his handes and stopped the horse and sayd Syr kyng tyde no further forward for thou arte betrayed Those wordes entred into the kynges heed wherby he was worse dysposed in his helthe than he was before so that his herte his blode was moued Than the kinges seruauntes strake so the poore man that he lette the kynges horse go and made no more of his wordes than of a fooles spekyng whiche was foly as dyuers men sayde for at the leste they shulde haue better examyned the man and to haue sene if he had ben a naturall foole or no and to haue knowen fro whence he came but they dyde nat so but lefte hym behynde he was neuer sene after to any mannes knowledge but suche as were nere to the Kynge herde hym speke these wordes The kynge passed forthe and aboute twelue of the clocke the kynge passed out of the forest and came in to a great playne all sandy the sonne also was in his heyght shone bright whose rayes were marueylously hote wherby the horses were sore chafed and all suche persons as were armed were sore oppressed with heat The knyghtes rode togyther by companyes some here and some there and the kynge rode somwhat a parte bycause of the duste and the duke of Berrey and the Duke of Burgoyne rode on his lefte hande talkynge togyther an acre brede of lande of fro the kynge Other lordes as the erle of Marche sir Iaques of Burbone syr Charles de la Brethe syr Phylyppe Darthoys sir Henry and sir Phylip of Bare syr Peter of Nauer and other knyghtes rode by companyes the duke of Burbon the lorde Coucy syr Charles Dangers the baron Dyuiry dyuers other rode on before the kynge and nat in his company and they deuised and talked togyther and toke no hede of that fell sodaynly on the chefe personage of the company whiche was on the kynges owne persone therfore the workes of god are marueylous and his scourges are cruell and are to be douted of all creatures There hath been sene in the olde testament and also in the newe many fygures and examples therof We rede howe Nabugodonosor kynge of Assyryens who reygned a season in suche tryumphant glory that there was none lyke hym and sodaynly in his greatest force and glory the souerayne kynge out lorde god kynge of Heuen and of erthe fourmer and ordeyner of all thynges a parelled this sayd kynge in suche wyse that he lost his wytte and reygne and was seuen yers in that estate and lyued by acornes and mast that fell fro the Okes and other wylde appels and frutes and hadde tast but as a bore or a swyne and after he had endured this penauÌ„ce god restored hym agayne to his memory and wytte And than he sayde to Danyell the prophet that there was none other god but the god of Israell Nowe the father the sonne and the holy goost thre persones in one god hath ben is and euer shall be as puissaunt to shewe his warkes as euer he was wherfore no man shulde marueyle of any thyng that he dothe Nowe to the purpose why I speke all these wordes A great influence fro heuen fell the sayd daye vpon the frenche kynge and as dyuers sayd it was his owne faute for acordynge to the dysposicyon of his body and the state that he was in and the warnyng that his physicyons dyd gyue hym he shulde nat haue rydden in suche a hoote day at that houre but rather in the mornynge and in the euenynge in the fresshe ayre wherfore it was a shame to them that were nere aboute hym to suffre or to couÌ„sayle hym to do as he dyd Thus as the frenche kynge rode vpon a fayre playne in the heate of the Sonne whiche was as than of a marueylous heyght and the kynge had on a â—acâ—e couered with blacke veluet whiche sore chafed hym and on his heed a syngle bonet of scarlet and a chapelet of great perles whiche the quene had gyuen hym at his departure and he had a page that rode behynde him beatynge on his heed a chapewe of Montaban bright and clere shynynge agaynst the sonne and behynde that page rode a nother bearing the kynges speare paynted redde and frynged with sylke with a sharpe heed of stele the lord de la Ryuer had brought a dosyn of them with hym fro Tholouse and that was one of them he had gyuen the hole dosyn to the king and the kynge had gyuen thre of theym to his brother the duke of Orlyaunce and thre to the duke of Burbon And as they rode thus forth the page that bare the speare whether it were by neclygence or that he fell a slepe he lette the speare fall on the other pages heed that rode before hym and the heed of the speare made a great classhe on the bright chapewe of stele The kynge who rode but a fore them with the noyse sodaynly started and his herte trymbled and in to his imagynacion ranne the inpressyon of the wordes of the man that stopped his horse in the forest of Mans and it ran in to his thought that his enemyes ranne after hym to slee and distroy him and with that abusyon he fell out of his wytte by feblenesse of his heed dasshed his spores to his horse and drewe out he sworde and tourned to his pages hauynge no knowledge of any man wenynge in hymselfe to be in a batayle inclosed with his enemyes and lyfte vp his sworde to stryke he cared nat where and cryed and sayd On on vpon these traytours Whan the pages sawe the kynge so inflamed with Ire they tooke good hede to themselfe as it was tyme. They thought the kynge had ben dyspleased bycause the speare fell downe thanne they stepte away fro the kynge The duke of Orleaunce was nat as thanÌ„e farre of fro the kynge The kynge came to hym with his naked sworde in his hande The kynge was as than in suche a fransey and his herte so feble that he nother knewe brother nor vncle Whan the duke of Orlyaunce sawe the kynge commynge on hym with his sworde naked in his haâ—de â—he was abasshed and wolde nat abyde hym he wyste nat what he mente he dasshed his spurres to his horse and rode awaye and the kynge after hym The duke of Burgoyne who rode a lytell waye of fro the kynge whan he herde the russhyng of the horses and herde the pages crye he regarded that waye and sawe howe the kynge with his naked sworde chased his brother the duke of Orlyaunce he was sore abasshed sayd Out harowe what myschife is this the kynge is nat in his ryght mynde god helpe hym Flye away nephewe flye away for the kynge wolde slee you The duke of Orlyance was nat well assured
were in great daunger and also it was sayd that by their counsaile the kyng toke on hym the iourney in to Bretaygne wherby he fell in to that maladye of Fransey and had gyuen hym drinkes of poyson at their pleasure and howe that the kynges phisycions coude nat be herde nor beleued by reason of them Suche maters were layde to the lorde de la Ryuers charge and to sir Iohan Mercyer that they were delyuered out of the Castell of Loure in to the handes of the prouost of Paris and putte in to the castell of saynt Anthony in the kepyng of the Vicount of Achy who as than was Chateleyne there Whan it was knowen that they were there thā the cōmon brute ran that they shulde be executed to dethe But to saye trouthe there was no cause why to trouble them For suche as hated them coude fynde in their conscyence no cause why they ought to dye But euery daye they were borne in hande and it was sayd to theym Sirs thynke on youre soules for as for your bodyes are but loste for ye are iudged to dye and for to be beheeded In this case they were in Prisone a greate space The Begue of Vyllayns a ryght valyaunt knyght in armes of the countrey of Beance who was in prisone also for the same cause He had suche frendes and was so ayded that he was delyuered out of prison and was clene pardoned of all thynges And suche as were of his lynage as sir Barroys other counsayled hym to go in to Castyle where as he had fayre herytages by reason of his wyfe countesse of Ribydewe and as he was counsayled so he dyede And as soone as he might departed out of Fraunce went in to Castyle and the other two knightes remayned styll in prison in daunger of losyng of their lyues ALl the mouable and vnmouable godes and possessions parteyninge to sir Iohan Mercyer within Parys and without in the realme of Fraunce that myght be layde hande on was taken as goodes forfaite and gyuen to other persons his fayre house of the bridge of Aubumen in the dioces of Laon whiche had cost hym a great good was gyuen to the lorde Coucy with all the appurtenaūce I knowe nat wheder the lorde of Coucy desyred it or nat but sir Iohan Mercier was disheryted he and his heyres for euer Also the lorde de la Ryuer was sore handled Trewe it was all his mouables was taken awaye and suche landes as he had bought reseruynge to the lady of Mans his wyfe all her herytages whiche came by her by father mother Also he had a yonge damosell to his doughter of .x. yere or age who was maryed to a yonge gentylman called Iaques of Chastellon sonne to sir Hugh of Chastellon who had ben before maister of the crosbowes of Fraunce and he was heyre to his father and had fayre herytages and was lykely to enioye more howe be it agaynst the yonge mannes mynde he was dismaryed And maryed agayne to another gentylwoman at the pleasure of the duke of Burgoyne and of the lorde de la Tremoyle who toke on them that quarell more ouer the lorde de la Riuer had a sonne to his heyre whiche sonne was maryed to the doughter of the erle Dampmartyne And the erle had no mo children nor was nat lyke to haue whiche doughter was his heyre And the duke wolde haue broken that maryage haue maryed her vnto an heyre of blode But the erle Dampmartyne lyke a valyaunt knight wolde nat but sayd As long as the lorde de la Ryuers sonne hadde lyfe in his body his doughter shulde haue none other husbande and sayde he wolde putte her herytage in to suche mēnes handes that he trusted suche as wolde wrōgfully haue it shulde nat attayne therto Whan the erles mynde was knowen they let hym alone So that maryage stode styll but the fyrst maryage was broken and pope Clement made a dispensacyon wheder he wolde or nat for as at that tyme the pope had no more puissaunce in Fraunce Than suche as the gouernours wolde consente to The churche was so subiecte what by reason of the Scisme and by them that gouerned Fraunce Many men specially in the realme of Fraūce excused greatly the lorde de la Ryuer but all that wolde nat serue For none durst speke thoughe they sawe the mater neuer so clere Except all onely the valyāt lady Iane of Boloyne duchesse of Berrey Oftentymes the good lady wolde fall on her knees before her husbande holdynge vp her handes and sayeng Ah sir ye suffre to moche the enuyous to enforme you so wrongfullye agaynst the valyaunt knight The lorde de la Ryuer he hath clerely wronge there is none that dare speke for hym but I. And sir I wyll ye knowe that if he dye thus I shall neuer haue ioye in this worlde but I shall alwayes contynue styll in sorowe and heuynesse for he is a trewe and a valyant knight Ah sir ye cōsyder but lytell the fayre seruyce that he hath done to you or this tyme the paynes and traueyle that he hath hadde for you and for me to bring vs togyder in maryage I saye it nat for any thyng of bostyng of my selfe for I am but lytell worthe in comparyson to you But whan ye wolde nedes haue me ye remembre howe harde the erle of Foiz was to you with whom I was brought vp And if the swete wordes and wyse demeanour of the lorde de la Ryuer had nat been I had neuer come in to your company but I had ben rather as nowe in Englāde For the duke of Lācastre wolde haue had me for his sonne the erle of Derby and the erle of Foiz enclyned rather that waye thā to you Right dere sir ye ought to remēbre this for all that I say is true Wherfore I requyre you right hūbly that this gentyll knight who brought me to you haue no dōmage of his body nor of his membres The duke of Berrey who sawe his wyfe fayre and gentyll and loued her with all his hert and also knewe well that all she had sayd was true it molifyed greatly his herte towardes the lorde de la Ryuer and to apease his wyfe because he sawe she spake with good herte sayd vnto her Dame as god helpe me I wolde it had cost me .xx. thousāde frankes on the condycion the lorde de la Ryuer had neuer made forfette to the crowne of Fraunce for before this malady came to the kynge I loued hym entierly and tooke hym for a wyse and a sage knyght but sythe ye desyre so effectuously for hym I wyll do no dyspleasure to hym he shall fare moche the better at your instaunce and for your sake I shall do as moche for hym as my power may extende and rather at your desyre than and all the realme had spoken for hym for surely I se well it is almes to helpe hym and I beleue he hath no aduocate but you Thus
euer they founde her for they sayde she was but a yonge chylde of eyght yere of age wherfore they sayd there coulde nat be in her no great wysdome nor prudence howe be it she was indoctryned well ynough and that the lordes founde well whan they sawe her The Erle Marshall beynge on his knees sayde to her Fayre lady by the grace of god ye shall be our lady and quene of Englande Than aunswered the yonge lady well aduysedly without counsayle of any other person Syr quod she and it please god and my lorde my father that I shall be quene of Englande I shall be glad therof for it is shewed me that I shall be than a great lady Than she toke vp the erle Marshall by the hande and ledde him to the quene her mother who had great ioy of the answere that she had made and so were all other that herde it The maner countenaunce and behauoure of this yonge lady pleased greatly the Ambassadours and they sayd amonge them selfe that she was lykely to be a lady of hygh honoure and great goodnesse Thus whan these lordes of Englande had ben at Parys a twenty dayes and their costes and charges payed for by the frenche kynge a reasonable aunswere was gyuen them so that they were put in great hope to bringe aboute that they came for howe be it the frenche men sayd it coulde nat be doone shortly bycause the lady was so yonge and also she was fyansed to the duke of Bretayns eldest sonne wherfore they sayd they must treat to breke that promesse or they coude procede any further in that mater and thervpon the frenche kynge and his counsayle shulde sende into Englande the next lent after to shewe howe the matter wente And whan the dayes begyn to encreace and waxe fayre Than the kynge of Englande to sende agayne in to Fraunce whome it shulde please hym and they shulde be welcome With this aunswere the englysshe men were contented and toke leaue of the quene and of her doughter and of the kynge and of all other and departed fro Paris and toke the same way they came and so retourned to Calays and than in to Englande and the two erles rode in post before their company to bringe tydynges to the kyng ▪ they rode fro Sandwiche to Wynd sore in lesse thanne a daye and an halfe The kynge was ryght ioyouse of their comynge and was well contente with the frenche kynges aunswere He set the mater so to his herte that he toke great pleasure therin and tooke hede to none other thynge but studyed howe he myght bringe it aboute to haue the frenche kinges doughter to wyfe ON the othersyde the Frenche kynge and his counsayle studyed daye and nyght howe they myght make this maryage with Englande to the honour of the realme of Fraunce There were many in the realme of Fraunce that sayd that if they had been called to these treatyes and our wordes herde the kynge of Englande shulde neuer haue the doughter of Fraunce for any maner of peace What good shulde it be for Fraunce seynge the trewce bytwene them endured but for two yere to come and than shall we fall agayne in warre and eche of vs hate other as we haue doone before The dukes of Berrey and Orlyance were of the same opynion and dyuers other lordes of Fraūce But the king the duke of Burgoyne and the chauncellour of Fraunce enclyned to this maryage and gladde to haue peace reseruyng alwayes the honour of the Realme The same tyme there was a squier in Fraunce of the nacyon of Normandy in the countrey of Caulx he had in his dayes ben sore traueyled in farre parties and as than he was newly retourned into Fraūce his name was Robert le menuot but as than he was called Robert the Hermyte he was relygyous and of good lyfe of the age of fyfty yere he had been at the treaties that was holden at Balyngham at whiche tyme he was well herde and howe he entred than in to that treatie I shall shewe you ⸪ ¶ Of a Squyer named Roberte the Hermyte howe he was sente to the treaties of the peace holden at Balyngham howe he was after sente in to Englande to kynge Rycharde and his vncles Cap. CC.iiii SO it was whan this Roberte the Hermyte returned in to Fraūce out of the parties of Surey and toke shyppyng at Baruch Whyle he was vpon the see a great tempest of wynde rose in suche wyse that they feared to be perysshed and euery man tell to make his prayers to god And at the ende of this tempest and that the wether began to waxe fayre and clere there apered to Robert the Hermyte an ymage more clere than Crystall and sayd thu◠Robert thou shalte issue and escape this parell and all thy company for loue of the for god hath herde thyne orisons and prayers and he sendeth the worde by me that thou shuldest make hast in to Fraunce and go to the kynge and shewe him thyne aduenture and say vnto him that in any wyse he enclyne to haue peace with his aduersary kynge Rycharde of Englande and amonge them that be treaters of the peace preace thou forthe and shewe them thyne aduysyon for thou shalte be herde and say that all suche as be of the contrary opinyon against the peace shall bye it derely in their lyfe tyme in this worlde And therwith the clerenesse and voyce vanysshed away Than Robert abode in a great study but he remembred well what he hadde sene and herde by the deuyne inspyracyon And after this aduenture they had fayre wether and the wynde at their wysshynge and than aryued in the Ryuer of Gennes and there Robert the Hermyte toke leaue of his company and went by lande fro thence tyll he came to Auygnon And the fyrst thynge he dyd he went to the churche of saynt Peter and there foūde a good vertuous man a penytenser and of hym he was cōfessed and shewed hym all his aduenture and demaunded counsayle what was best to do Than his goostly father charged hym in any wyse that he shulde speke nothynge of this mater tyll he had shewed it fyrste to the frenche kynge and loke what counsayle the kynge dyd gyue him so to do This Robert folowed his counsayle and arayed hym selfe in symple habyte all in gray and so poorely departed fro Auygnon and iourneyed so longe that he came to Parys but the kynge was at Abbeuyle and the treatie beganne at Balyngham bytwene the frenche men and Englysshe men as ye haue herde before Than this Robert came to Abuyle and drewe to the kynge and a knyght of his acquayntaunce brought him to the kyng whiche knyght was of Normandy and was called sir Willyam Martell he was of the kynges priuy chambre Than Roberte the Hermyte shewed the Kynge all his hole iourney and aduēture The kyng herde hym well and bycause the duke of Burgoyne and syr Raynolde Corby chauncellour of Fraunce who were of the
had had greatier puissaunce than he had And whan the lorde of Coucy came first vpon the fronters of the ryuer of Geane where the entrees are stronge to conquere if there be made any defence Some lordes of the genowayes suche as fauoured the lorde Coucy and had enformed the duke of Orlyaunce wherby he sente thyder the lorde of Coucy They entreated him amiably and brought hym to their coūtreis and offred to hym their castels The lorde of Coucy who was sage subtyle and ymaginatyfe and knewe right well the nature of the lombardes and genowayes wolde nat trust them ouermoche nor haue to great confydence in their offers and promyses but alwayes wysely he helde them in loue and amyte as longe as he was amonge them and ledde them forthe with fayre wordes and treaties They had many cōmunycacyons in the felde toguyder but neuer in no fortresse and euer the more he comuned with theym the lesse he conquered or gate the genouoys made to him sygne of loue and promysed hym many thynges and wolde haue had hym to haue gone in to the cytie of Gennes or to Porte Vender but the lorde of Coucy durst neuer assure hym in their offers The conclusyon of his voyage was suche that he gate nothynge and whan he sawe that he coulde nat atcheue his busynesse he signyfied his estate to the duke of Orlyance whervpon he was remaunded and so he retourned to Parys and came thyder the same season that all the busynesse was for the iourney goynge in to Hungery The duke of Burgoyne reioysed greatly of his retourne and he and duchesse sente for hym to their house of Arthoyse in sygne of great loue than they sayd to him Syr we trust moche in you we haue caused Iohan our sonne and heyre to take on hym an enterprise in the honour of god and of all christendome and we knowe well that aboue all other knyghtes of Fraunce ye are the moste vsed and expert in all thynges wherfore derely we requyre you that ye wolde be companion with our sonne in this voyage and his chyefe counsaylour wherof we shall thanke you and deserue it to you and yours Than the lorde of Coucy said my lorde you madame your wordes and requestes ought to be to me a cōmaundement in this voyage I shall go if it please god for two causes First for deuocyon to defende the faythe of Ihesu Christ Secondly in that ye do to me somoche honour as to gyue me charge of my lorde Iohan your sonne and I shall acquyte me truely to him to my power howe be it of this dede ye may well dyscharge me and to charge specyally his cosyn and nere kynesman my lorde Phylyppe of Arthoys erle of Ewe and constable of Fraunce and his other cosyn the erle of Marche bothe two ought to go with hym in this voyage for they be both nere of his blode Than the duke sayd My lorde of Coucy ye haue moche more sene than these other twayn haue and knowe better the orderynge of an army in straunge countreys than outher our cosyn of Ewe or of March therfore we charge you and praye you to execute our requestes Than he aunswered and sayd my lorde your prayer is to me a cōmaundement and I shall do it sythe it pleaseth you with the ayde and helpe of my lorde Guye of Tremoyle and of my lorde Guillyam his brother and of the admyrall of Fraunce Of this answere the duke and duchesse had great ioye THese lordes prepared them selues to go in this iourney into Hūgery and lordes knyghtes and squyers were desyred to go in their company and many desyred themselfe to go Some were retaygned and some went without maysters and some consyderynge the voyage in to Hungery and fro thence in to Turkey to be ouer longe and chargeable for them beynge nat retaygned waxed colde in their enterpryse For the settynge forwarde of this yonge Iohan of Burgoyne nothynge was spared horse harnesse fresshe clothes riche vessell and plate of golde and syluer and offycers apoynted to do their atendaūce and money delyuered and werke men payed Than all barones knightes and squiers for the honour of Iohn̄ of Burgoyne and also for the auauncement of their bodies enforced them to make them redy The lorde Phylyppe of Arthoys ordeyned hym so puyssauntly that nothynge was spared and wolde go in that voyage as Constable of Fraunce And the frenche kynge who loued him entierlye helped hym moche towarde his charges and so he dyd to the lorde Boucyquant marshall of Fraunce The duke of Burgoyne consydered that this voyage of his sonnes shulde coste ouermoche fynaunce and he thought it conuenyent that the state of his sonne shulde be mayntayned and to fynde syluer to mayntayne it withall he foūde out subtelly a backe tayle for by a former tayle all the countreys cyties and fortresses had ben tayled And the said backe tayle mounted in Burgoyne of the chyuallry syxe hundred thousande crownes of golde And agayne the duke made it to be tolde to all knyghtes and ladyes that helde of him in fee yonge and olde that they shulde go in to Hungery in their owne propre persones with his sonne or els to paye a taxe of syluer so they were taxed some at a thousande poūde the other at fyue hundred frankes eche man after his goodes and valure of his landes Ladyes and auncyent knyghtes remembringe the traueyle of their bodyes and were nat shapen nor made to endure suche payne conpoūded and payed at the wyll of the Duke The yonge knyghtes and squyers were forborne payeng of any money but it was said to them that they shulde go with the lorde Iohan at their owne coste and charge and otherwyse nat Of this backe tayle the duke reysed .lx. thousāde crownes and so none was forborne THe tydynges of this voyage spredde abrode and whan it came in to the countrey of Haynalt knyghtes and squyers suche as desyred auauncement spake togyther and sayde A this were a mete voyage for my lorde of Ostrenant who is yonge and for his brother the erle of Neuers and if any of them wente we myght well go in their company The erle of Ostrenant beynge at that tyme at Quesnoy vnderstode what the knyghtes and squyers of his countrey sayde and he thought no lesse thā they dyd and had great affectyon to go in this voyage whan he herde any spekyng of that mater he wolde answere but lytell but dyssymuled the mater but he was in good entencyon to speke with duke Aubert of Bauyer erle of Haynalt and to do as he wolde counsayle hym Within a whyle after the Erle of Ostrenant came in to Hay in Holande where his father was with the duchesse his wyfe Than he sayd to his father my lorde suche tydinges rynneth abrode that my fayre brother of Neuers hathe enterprised this sōmer to go into Hungery and fro thens in to Turkey whereby all lykelyhode great dedes of armes shall be atchyued and syr as at
THan at last dyed this lorde Galeas and after hym reigned his sonne erle of Vertues named Galeas in great puyssaūce and at the begynnyng of his reigne he gate him great loue in Lombardy and or dred hymselfe after a goodly maner and like a wyse man He put downe all suche yuell customes as his father had reysed in Lōbardy He was so well beloued and of so good renome that euery man sayd well of hym but at laste whan̄e he sawe his tyme he spytted out his venyme whiche he had longe borne in his hert For he made on a day in the feldes a great busshement wherby the lorde Bernabo his vncle was takē who thought none yuell nor knewe nat but that he was welbeloued and in great fauour with his nephue And at his takyng it was sayd to hym One lorde is ynough to reygne in Lombardy he coude haue none other grace for it laye nat in hym as than̄e to make resystence So he was ledde to a castell and there his nephue caused hym to dye but in what maner I can nat shewe you This sir Bernabo had two fayre chyldren of whom the Frenche quene was doughter to one of his doughters whiche was wedded to the duke of Osrtenaunt of Bauyere This Galeas putte in prisone all his vncles chyldren suche as he coulde gette and tooke possessyon of all his vncles seignories and ioyned thē to his owne so reigned in great puyssaunce richesse for he reysed vp suche maters wherby he gathered toguyder great rychesse As Imposycions gabels subsydies dysmes and all other extorcyons wherby he was moche more dreed than beloued He helde the errour and opynyon of his Father that was Howe one shulde nother honoure nor worshyppe god He tooke fro abbeyes and priories moche of their reuenewes and toke them to hym selfe He sayd the monkes were to delyciously norisshed with good wynes and delycious metes By whiche superfluyteis he sayd they coude nat ryse at mydnight nor do their seruyce as they shulde do He sayde saynt Benet helde nat the order of his relygion after that maner And so he said he wolde make them to lyue with egges and small wyne to clere their voyces to syng the higher These lordes in their dayes lyued lyke popes they dyde great dispytes in their tyme to men of holy churche They sette nothyng by the popes curse and specially after the cisme began and that there was two popes that the one cursed the other assoyled The lordes of myllayne dyde but mocke at their doynges and so dyd many other lordes through the worlde The doughter of this lorde Galeas duke of Myllayne was duches of Orl aūce whose condycions were lyke to her fathers and nat to her mothers who was doughter to kyng Iohan of Fraunce This lady was of high mynde enuyous and couytous on the delytes state of this worlde Gladly she wolde haue sene the duke her husbande to haue attaygned to the crowne of Fraunce she had nat cared howe A generall fame and sclaunder ran vpon her that all the infyrmiteis the kyng had whiche no phisycion coude remedye came all by her sortes and artes and the chiefe discouerynge of her workes wherby she was had in great suspecte was this THis duchesse of Orlyaunce named Valantyne had a sonne by the duke her husbande a fayre chylde of the age of the Dolphyn sonne to the kynge On a tyme these two chyldren were playeng toguyder in the duchesse of Orlyaunce chambre and sodaynly there was caste downe an apple full of poyson on the pauement on the same syde that the dolphyn was on to th entent that he shulde haue taken and eaten it But as grace was he dyd nat for the duches son̄e ran after the apple and toke it and ete therof wherwith he was poysoned and dyed nothynge coude saue hym And suche as hadde Charles the yong dolphyn to kepe toke hym thens and he neuer came after in the duches chambre Of this aduēture great brute and murmuracyon ran throughe all the cytie of Parys and in other places Thus it was sayde by her of all the people so that the duke her husbande parceyued it well for brute ranne through Parys that if her husbande dyde nat putte her awaye out of the kynges courte they wolde fetche her awaye byforce and cause her to dye For the people said she wolde enpoyson the kyng and his chyldren and that she hadde enchaunted the kyng for the kyng in all his infyrmyteis wolde nat se the quene nor none other woman but all onlye this duchesse of Orlyaunce Vpon whiche sayeng and for doute therof her husbāde had her awaye and put her out of the house of saynt Poule in Parys and sente her to a castell besyde Parys vpon the waye of Beauoyes called Asynyers And there she was kepte a longe season and neuer wente out of the castell and at last she was sent fro thens to Newcastell on the ryuer of Loyre And the duke of Orlyaunce had great displeasure to her bycause of the aduēture of the dethe of his son but by reason that he had other chyldren by her sōwhat it brake his displeasure These tidynges came to Myllayne and the lorde Galeas was enfourmed howe his doughter was in trouble and in great daunger wherof he was sore displeased with the Frenche kyng and his counsayle Than he sent a suffycient messanger as sir Iaquemont of Weryne and other to Parys to the kyng and his counsayle in excusyng his doughter sayeng that if any persone wolde accuse her of trayson he shulde be fought with all at vttraūce in that quarell Whan these messangers cāe to Parys the kynge was in good helth but he tooke no hede of those messangers nor of their excuse and so they were shortely aunswered nothyng to their pleasure So they retourned in to Lombardy and declared to the duke of Myllayne all that they had sene and done Than the duke was in gretter displeasure than he was before and reputed it a great iniury and than sent his defyaunce to the Frenche kynge and to all the hole Realme of Fraunce And whan his defyaunces were brought to Parys the lordes knightes with the Frenche armye were as than in Hūgry and entred in to Turkey And for the dispyte and hate that the duke of Myllayne had to the Frenche kynge and to some of his counsayle therfore he helde in amyte and alyaunce the great Turke and shewed hym of the secretes of Fraūce ¶ Nowe we shall leaue spekynge of the duke and speke of the great Turke and of the barons of Fraunce and of other Christen knyghtes that were as than in Turkey ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the great turke desyred the soudan and many other kynges sarazyns to ayde hym with menne of warre to resyst agaynst the christen men and howe many valyant sarazyns came to hym out of farre countreis Cap. CC.xi. IT was nat longe after but that the great Turke departed fro Quayre fro the Soudan who promysed
nat indomage vs if ye tary tyll all our hole puyssaunce be togyder Syrs this is the ordre that the kynge and his counsayle hath ordered I muste retourne agayne to the kynge Whan he was deê‘ted the french lordes assembled theÌ„ togyder to knowe what was best for them to do Than it was demaunded of the lorde Coucy what he thought best to be done he answered and said I wolde counsayle to obey the kyng of Hungeryes coÌ„maundement for that ordre semeth to be good And as it was enfourmed me syr Phylippe of Arthoys erle of Ewe and constable of Fraunce was nat contented that the aduyse had nat fyrst haue ben demaunded of hym Than he for pride and dispyght helde the contrary opynyon and sayd ye syr ye the kynge of Hungery wolde haue the floure and chiefe honour of this iourney we haue the vowarde he hath graunted it to vs and nowe he wolde take it fro vs agayne beleue hym who wyll for I do nat than he sayd to the knyght that bare his banner in the name of god and saynt George ye shall seme this daye a good knyght Whan the lorde Coucy herde the constable speke these wordes he toke it done of a great presumpcyon Than he loked on syr Iohan of Vyen who bare the standarde of our lady and demauÌ„ded of hym what he thought best to be doone Syr quod he where as wyse reasone canne nat be herde than pride muste reygne and sythe that the erle of Ewe wyll nedes set on we must nedes folowe howe be it we shulde be the stronger and if our puyssauÌ„ce were hole togyther Thus as they deuysed in the felde styll the turkes aproched the two wynges eche of .lx. thousande men beganne to aproche and to close and had the chrysten men bytwene them so that if they wolde haue reculed they coulde nat for they were closed in with the sarazyns the wynges were so thicke Than dyuers knyghtes that were well expert in armes sawe well the iourney shulde be agaynst them howe be it they auaunced and folowed the baner of our lady borne by the valyaunt knight syr IohnÌ„ of Vien Euery knyght of Fraunce was in his cote armure that euery man semed to be a kinge they were so fresshly aparelled As it was shewed me whan they began fyrste to fyght with the turkes they were nat past a seuen hundred men Lo beholde the great foly and outrage for if they had taryed for the kynge of Hungery who were threscore thousande men they had been lykely to haue doone a great acte and by them and by their pride all was lost and they receyued suche doÌ„mage that sythe the batayle of Rounseualx where as the .xii. peres of FrauÌ„ce were slayne crystendome receyued nat so great a doÌ„mage howe be it or they were dyscomfyted a great nombre of turkes were slayne for the frenche men dyscomfyted the fyrst batayle of the turkes and had them in chase tyll they came in to a valey where Lamorabaquy was with his hole puyssaunce Than the frenchmen wolde haue retourned to their hoost but they coulde nat for they were closed in on all partes there was a sore batayle the frenche men endured longe Than newes came to the kyng of Hungery howe the frenche men englysshmen and almayns were fyghtyng with the turkes and had broken his coÌ„maundement and counsayle gyuen theÌ„ by his marshall wherwith he was sore dyspleased and nat without good cause Than he sawe well howe he was lykely to lese that iourney Than he said to the great mayster of the Rodes who was by hym Syr we shall this day lese the iourney by reason of the pride of the frenchmen for if they wolde haue beleued me we had been stronge ynough to haue fought with our enemyes and therwith the kynge of Hungerye loked behynde hym and sawe howe his men fled a waye and were discomfyted in them selfe Than he sawe well there was no recouery and suche as were aboute hym cryed and sayd Saue your selfe for if ye be slayne all Hungery is loste ye shall lese the felde this daye by reason of the pride of the frenche men their valyauÌ„tnesse turneth to folyssh hardynes for they shall be all slayne or taken none is lykely to scape therfore syr if ye beleue vs saue youre selfe and scape this daunger THe kynge of Hungery was sore dyspleased whan he sawe howe he had lost the iourney by dysorderyng of the frenche men and sawe no remedy but to flye or els be taken or slayne Great murder there was for in flyenge they were chased and so slayne They of Hungery fledde without ordre and the turkes chased theym howe be it god ayded the kinge of HuÌ„gery and the great mayster of the Rodes for they came to the ryuer of Dunce and founde there a lytell barge parteynynge to the Rodes they entered in to it but with seuen persones and so went of the shore or els they had been slayne or taken for the turkes came to the Ryuer syde and there slewe many a crysten man suche as had folowed the kynge to saue them selfe NOwe lette vs speke of the frenche men and almayns who fought valyauntly Whan the lorde of Mount caurell a ryght valyaunt knyght of Arthoys sawe that the dyscomfyture ranne vpon them he had by hym a sonne of his a yonge man than he sayde to a squyer of his Take here my sonne and leade hym away by yonder wynge whiche is open and saue hym I wyll abyde the aduenture with other of my felowes Whan the chylde herde his father say so he sayd howe he wolde nat departe but the father dyd so moche that perforce the squyer led hym away out of parell and came to the ryuer of Dunce but there the chylde had suche care for his father that he tooke small regarde to hym selfe so that he fell in to the ryuer bytwene two barges and there was drowned without remedy Also syr Wyllyam of Tremoyle fought in that batayle valyauntly and there was slayne and his sonne by him and syr Iohan of Vyen bearynge the baner of our lady was slayne and the baner in his handes Thus all the lordes and knightes of FrauÌ„ce that were there were distroyed by the maner as ye haue herde Syr Iohan of Burgoyne erle of Neuers was so rychely besene and in lykewyse so was syr Guy de la Ryuer and dyuers other lordes and knyghtes of Burgoyne that they were taken prisoners And there were two squiers of Picardy ryght valyaunt men called Gyllyam Dewe and the Bourge of Maytequell these two by valyauntnesse two tymes passed through the felde and euer retourned in agayne and dyd marueyls but fynally shere they were slayne To say the trouthe the frenche men and other strauÌ„gers that were there acquyted them selfe valyauntly but the frenchmens pride lost all There was a knyght of Pycardy called syr Iaques of Helley who had dwelte before in Turkey and had serued Lamorabaquy and coude somwhat speke the langage of
ordayned that if the newe were nat trewe that they shulde be all drowned and putte to dethe ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the trewe tidynges of the batayle in Turkey was knowen in the Frenche kyngê house Capi. CC.xix SO it was on ChristeÌ„mas daye sir Iaques of Helley about the houre of noone entred in to Parys and so toke his lodgynge and demaunded where the kyng was and it was shewed hym that he was at saynt Poules on the ryuer of Seyn Than he went thyder There was with the kyng the duke of Orlyaunce his brother the duke of Berrey the duke of Burgoyne the duke of Burbone and therle of saynt Poule and dyuers other noble men of the realme of Fraunce as the vsage was for suche noble men to be with the kynge at suche highe feestes So sir Iaques of Helley entred in to the court boted and spurred As than he was nat be knowen for he had of long tyme hauÌ„ted farre countreis He dyd so moche that he came to the kynges chambre and sayd howe he came fro Lamorabaquy oute of Turkey and hadde ben at the batayle before Nicopolye where the Christen men had lost the iourney And sayd he hadde letters fro the erle of Neuers and fro other lordes of Fraunce suche as were prisoners than he was brought to the kynge He kneled downe and wisely declared his message as well fro Lamorabaquy as fro the erle of Neuers and other lordes of Fraunce prisoners in Turkey the kynge gaue hym audyence and was swetely examyned of all the hole mater and to euery thyng he answered so discretely that the kyng was well content with hym and was ryght soroufull for the doÌ„mage that the kyng of Hugry and they had susteyned Howe be it they were gladde that the kyng of Hungery was scaped without dethe or prisonment for they sayde he shulde recouer ryght well agayne the losse and doÌ„mage that he had receyued at that tyme. Also they were ryght ioyfull that the erle of Neuers and the other lordes were escaped the dethe and were but as prisoners And they sade there was no doute but they shulde be raunsomed and delyuered For sir Iaques of Helley sayd there was no doute but that Lamorabaquy wolde within the yere put them to rauÌ„some for he loued golde and richesse And that sir Iaques sayd he knewe well bicause he had long ben conuersaunt in Turkey and serued Lamorabaquyes father more than thre yere Thus the kynge ryght well receyued this knyght and so dyde all other lordes suche as were there And euery man sayd he was happy in this worlde to be in suche a batayle and to haue the acquayntaunce of suche a hethan kynge as Lamorabaquy was sayenge it was an honoure for him and for all his lynage than the kyng coÌ„maunded all suche as were in prison to be delyuered wherof they were gladde THus these newes that sir Iaques of Helley had brought spredde anone a brode in Fraunce and in other places many were right soroufull for the losse of their fathers bretherne husbandes chyldren and nat without good cause and specially the gret ladyes of Fraunce as the duchesse of Burgoyne for her sonne the erle of Neuers and her doughter Margarete of Heynault was soroufull for the erle her husbande In lykewyse was dolorous Mary of Berrey countesse of Ewe for her husbande the lorde Philyppe of Arthoise constable of Fraunce And in lykewise so was the countesse of Marche the lady of Coucy and her dought of Bare the lady of Sully and many other ladyes as well of Fraunce as of other places And whan they had wepte ynoughe than they reconforted them selfe in that they were natte slayne but prisouers But suche as knewe their husbaÌ„des fathers bretherne chyldren and freÌ„des deed their lameÌ„tacions endured long in FrauÌ„ce The duke of Burgon made moche of this knyght sir Iaques of Helley who had brought hym worde that his sonne was a lyue and gaue hym many ryche gyftes and reteyned hym as one of his knyghtes with two hundred pounde of reuenewes yerely duryng his lyfe The Frenche kyng all other lordes gaue largely to this knight ThaÌ„ he shewed howe he must nedes returne agayne to Lamorabaquy for that was his promyse at his departynge for he stoode but as prisoner and sayd howe he hadde nat retourned but to do this message fro Lamorabaquy The kynge and other thought it but resonable that he shulde kepe his promyse Than the kynge and other wrote to these prisoners And it was concluded by counsayle that the Frenche kyng shulde sende a knight of honour to Lamorabaquy to th entent that he myght retourne agayne to bring newe tydynges in what case the prisoners were in There was apoynted to go in this voyage sir IohnÌ„ of Castell morant who was a wyse knyght and well languaged Than it was demaunded of sir Iaques what iowelles or presentes the kynge myght best sende to Lamorabaquy and that shulde best please him to the entent that the prisoners shulde be the better entreated The knight answered that Lamorabaquy toke gret pleasure in clothes of arras made of olde auncyent hystories And also he sayd he had great delyte in these whyte Faucons called Gerfaucons Also he sayd that fyne lynnen clothes and fyne scarlettes were moche made of there for of clothe of golde and sylke they hadde plentie This pleased well the Frenche kyng and the duke of Burgonoe whose myndes were sette to please Lamorabaquy Thus a .xii. dayes sir Iaques of Helley taryed at Parys and euery man was gladde to here hym reporte of the aduentures of Turkey and of the maner of Lamorabaquy WHan he deê‘ted to retourne the kynge sayd to hym Sir Iaques take your way and make but small iourneys at your ease I thynke ye wyll returne by Lombardy speke with the duke of Myllayne for there is great amyte bytwene hym and Lamorabaquy But whiche waye so euer ye go we wyll that sir Iohan of Castell Morant abyde in Hungry tyll ye haue gote hym a saueconducte to go to Lamorabaquy with suche presentes as we shall sende hym to the entent that he shulde be the more fauorable to the prisoners Sir quod he all this shal be done So he departed and tooke the same waye he came Anone after his departure the kynge and the duke of Burgoyne dyde prepare for these presentes and sir Iohan of Castell Morant dispatched and had his charge He had with hym sixe soÌ„mers laden with preseÌ„tes two of them with clothes of arras of the goodlyest that coude be gote wrought with the storie of Alexandre of his lyfe and conquestes ryght pleasaunt to beholde other two soÌ„mers were charged with fyne scarlettes whyte reed And also with moche payne the kynge gate of these whyte gerfaucons Thus sir Iohan of Castell morant departed fro Parys with his presentes and charge a fyftene dayes after that sir Iaques of Helley was departed In this mean season the kynge of Hungry retourned in to his couÌ„tre wherof all
se what condycyon her husbande the lorde of Coucy was in The knyght sayd for her sake he was content to go thyder to bringe the certaynte of his estate Thus he made him redy and fiue persones with him Other ladyes in Fraunce sent in lyke wyse to knowe what case their husbandes were in YE haue herde here before howe the kynge of Hungery wolde in no wyse consent that sir Morant shulde passe into Turkey with the frenche kynges presentes and in this opynion the kynge longe contynued whiche was right dyspleasaunt to sir Morant and to syr Helley but they coude nat amende it And so it happed that the great mayster of the Rodes came in to Hungery to the cytie of Bode to whome the kyng made good chere wherto he was bounde for the daye of the batayle the kynge had ben slayne or taken and he had nat ben and there he founde these two knyghtes of Fraunce They came to him and shewed hym howe the kynge wolde nat suffre them to passe in to Turkey with suche presentes as the frenche kynge had sent to Lamorabaquy wherof he had meruayle sayde howe he wolde speke to the kynge therin and that they shulde well knowe and so he dyd and shewed to the kyng suche reasons that he tourned the kynges opynion and so than they had leaue to passe in to Turkey with all their presentes and so they passed forthe vnder sure safe conduct and came to Lamorabaquy who receyued theym and their gyftes ryght honorably after their vsage and made great ioye of the presentes The knyghtes for all that spake but ones all onely with the erle of Neuers at good leysare and at their departynge the erle sayde to them Syrs I requyre you recommaunde me to my lorde my father and to my lady my mother and to my lorde of Berrey and specyally to the kynge and salute fro me all my other frendes and desyre them that if Lamorabaquy wyll set vs to raunsome that by meanes of marchauntes or otherwyse our raunsomes may be quyckly payed and we delyuered for by longe taryenge we shall lese for in the begynnyng we were but .viii. prisoners and nowe we be .xvi. whiche is in all .xxiiii. and we shall nat be delyuered without we be delyuered all at ones and as soone all as one for Lamorabaquy hath so promysed and surely he wyll nat be founde false of his worde syr Morant and syr Helley aunswered and sayd howe his cōmaundement shulde be doone to the whiche he was bounde So they departed and retourned in to Hungery and by the way they encountred the messanger that was sent in to Fraunce to the kynge bringynge a gayne letters fro the frenche kynge to the kyng of Hungery Than this messanger retourned agayne with theym for he had no more to do whan he sawe them retourne and had done their voyage into Turkey and so retourned all togyther in to Fraunce ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe the duke of Gloucestre subtelly sought out the meanes howe to dystroye kynge Rycharde of Englande his nephue Cap. CC.xxii IT is long syth I spake of the duke of Gloucestre yongest sonne to the kynge of England Edwarde the thyrde I had no tyme to speke of him tyll nowe and bycause his herte coude neuer loue the frenche men therfore of the losse that the frenche men had in Turkey he was rather gladde than sory The same seasone he had a knyght with hym called syr Iohan Laquyquay chiefe of his counsayle as it was knowen after he sayde to his lorde Syr the fumes and pride of the frenche men are well a bated by reasone of their iourney in to Hungery and Turkey they be so full of pride and brages that they canne come to no good conclusion of any enterprise that they take in hande That is trewe quod the duke and that apered right well duryng the warre in the dayes of the kynge my father and of my brother the prince of Wales for as than they coulde neuer atayne to any iourney agaynst the Englysshe men therfore I canne nat tell why we shulde haue trewce with them for if the warre were open and by reason of our good tytell togyther we shulde nowe make them better warre than euer was made before for as nowe all the floure of chyualry of Fraunce is outher taken or slayne and the men of Englande desyre to haue warre rather than peace for they canne better lyue in warre than peace for in lyenge styll is none aduauntage and I swere by god if I may lyue two yere in good helth the war◠shal be renewed I wyll nother spare for trewce respyte nor assuraunce for in tyme paste the Frenche men haue kept no promesse with vs but haue falsely and craftely taken away the herytage of the duchy of Acquytayn whiche was gyuen and delyuered by agrement of good treatie of peace to the kynge my father whiche often tymes I haue shewed to the counsayle of Fraunce whan we met and comuned togyther in the fronter of the marchesse of Calays but alwayes they florysshed their entētes with so swete wordes that myne opynion was nat regarded nor belyued nouther by the kynge my nephewe nor by my bretherne but if there were a good heed kynge of Englande that desyred the warre as well as I do and wolde put to his payne to recouer his herytage whiche craftely and falsely hath been taken fro hym without any good tytle of reasone he shulde fynde in Englande a hundred thousande archers and syxe thousande men of armes redy aparelled to serue him and to passe the see and to put their goodes and lyues in aduenture in his seruyce But it is nat so there is no suche Kynge in Englande as nowe that loueth any dedes of armes if there were he wolde shewe hym selfe in Fraunce there was neuer so good tyme to make warre in Fraūce as now for who soeuer goeth nowe shal be fought withall whiche is all the desyre that englysshmen haue in trust of wynnyng as they had in tyme paste in the dayes of good kynge Edwarde my father in my brothers dayes the prince of Wales I am the yongest of all the bretherne of Englande but if I may be beleued I shall be the fyrst e that shall renewe the warre and trust to recouer the wronges that the frenchmen haue done to vs and dayly do and all by the symple slouthfulnesse that is a monge vs and specyally our heed the kynge my nephue who wyll nowe alye hymselfe by maryage to the frenche kinges doughter this is no token that he wyll make warre his eyen be to heuy he careth for nothyng but for meate and drinke and reste and dalyenge with ladyes and damoselles This is no lyfe for men of warre that wyll deserue to haue honour by prowes of dedes of armes yet I remembre me of the last iourney that I made into Fraunce I thynke I had in my company but two thou sande speares and eyght thousande archers and so passed
sayd that he was bounde for euer towne them his good wyll The lady answered wysely to them all So they entred in to the Galees in the porte of Mathelyn and had wynde and wether at wyll and sayled so longe that without daunger or doÌ„mage they came and aryued in the isle of the Rodes in the same place where as all galees do aryue coÌ„mynge fro Cyper or fro Barne and fro other partes of the see Orientall There were many of the knyghtes of the Roodes who be or ought to be men of valyaunt corage for they beare the whyte Crosse in signyfieng of the crosse of Christ who dyed and toke payne for the redempcyon of all crysten people and nere hande daily these knightes haue skrymysshes and assawtes to ayde and sustayne the chrysten faythe agaynst the myscreauÌ„tes wherfore these knyghtes ought to be valyaunte men and nourysshed in the warre WHan the erle of Neuers and his company were come in to the isle of Rodes the great mayster and the great priour of Acquytanye who was there receyued the frenche men honourably and offred to lende them golde and syluer to paye their small charges and costes whiche offre the erle of Neuers and his company toke for a great curtesy and hertely thanked them for they had great nede therof â–ª the great priour of Acquytanie a right valyaunt knyght lente to the erle of Neuers a thyrty thousande frankes in redy money and syr Reygnere Potte stewarde with the erle of Neuers and the lorde of Rocheforde of Burgoyne receyued the money I thynke it was generally for them all that euery man shulde haue parte but the erle became dettour for the money Thus they taryed in the Isle of Rodes a good seasone to refresshe theym and to sette euery thynge in good ordre for the ayre was more atteÌ„perate there than wheâ— as they had ben in Turkey And as they taryed thus at Rodes abydynge for the galees of Venyce a syckenesse toke syr Guy of Tremoyle lorde of Seully of whiche sycknesse he dyed there and was buryed in the churche of saynte Iohan in the Rodes and the lordes of Fraunce dyd his obsequy ryght reuerently and were ryght sorye of his dethe but there was no remedy The Erle of Neuers knewe well that the duke of Burgoyne wolde be sore dyspleased of his deth bycause he had always fouÌ„de hym sage and of good counsayle At the laste there aryued the galees of Venyce wherof the frenche men were ryght ioyous Than they tooke their leaue of the lordes of the Rodes Thus departed the erle of Neuers sir Henry of Bare Boucyquante Guillyam of Tremoyle the lorde of Rocheforde and all other The patrones of the galees to do them pleasure were contente to suffre them to refresshe theym in the isles bytwene Venyce and Rodes Fyrste they came to Modon a fyue hundred myle fro the Roodes and there they refresshed them it parteyned to the venycyens ANd fro modon they sayled with wynde and wether at wyll and so came to the isle of Calefo and there refresshed theym And fro thence to the isle of Garre and there taryed and than they came to the isle of Chyfolignie and there landed and founde a great nombre of Ladyes and damosels who had the sygnâ—orite of that isle They receyued the frenche men with great ioye and brought them to passe the tyme aboute the isle whiche is ryght fayre and pleasaunte And suche as knowe the condycions of that isle affyrmeth that the fayry and the nympes be moche conuersaunt there Some of the marchauntes of Venyce and Geane and of other landes suche as haue aryued there and taryed there a seasone to eschewe the daunger of the see haue said that they haue sene some of the fairy there and haue proueâ— their wordes to be trewe The erle of Neuers and his company were right ioyouse of the company of these ladyes and ryght ioyously the ladyes receyued them and sayd howe their coÌ„mynge thyder dyd all the isle great honoure bycause they were noble knyghtes and men of honoure for there hath nat acustomed none other to be conuersaunt amonge them but marchauntes This isle is nat all onely enhabyted with women but there be men amonge them but the women haue the soueraynte and chefe rule there They are worke women in sylke worke and make clothes of sylke so subtelly and so well that there is none lyke them nor the men of the isle canne nat make it but they cary them out to sell where they thynke to haue most profyte and the woman abyde styll in the isle and they honour the men for the sayde cause and they haue the profyte therof The Isle is of that condycion that no man dare aproche it to do there any doÌ„mage for who so euer dothe are perysshed and that hath ben sene and proued and therfore these ladyes endure euer in peace and dought no man Also they are marueylous swete gentle amyable and humble and whan they wyll they speke with the fayry and be in their company WHan the erle of Neuers and his company had refresshed them in this isle of Chyfoligne aboute a fyue dayes than they toke leaue of these ladyes and lefte amonge these ladyes parte of suche as they had that they myght forbeare so that the ladyes gaue them great thanke at their departynge and so they sayled to a lande called Raguse and there they rested And fro thens to Clarence a hundred myle fro Venyce And whyle they were there thyther came a squyer of Haynalt of great recoÌ„mendacyon borne in the towne of Mons he was called Brydoll he came fro the holy scpulcre and fro Quayre and fro saynt Katheryns mounte and whan he came to Clarence the frenchmen made him good chere bycause he was borne in Haynalt for the countesse of Neuers was doughter to the erle of Heynalte and also bycause he had ben in farre countreys and they demaunded of him newes fro those parties and also of the state of the kynge of Cyper He aunswered to euery thynge ryght wysely WHan the erle of Neuers had refresshed hym there a season than he sayled forthe and came to the porte of Parcuse The great galees coude go no further to come to the porte of Venyce Than within a certayne space they tooke other small shyppes passengers and so came to Venyce and there were receyued with great ioye and they thanked god that they were come thyder in sauegarde and out of the handes of the myscreauntes for they were ones in feare neuer to haue come out of their handes Than euery man wente to his logynge which was prepared for them for their commynge thyder was knowen before their seruauntes were come thyder and prepared for them redye agaynst their commyng The erle of Neuers founde there redy parte of his seruauntes sente thyder by the duke of Burgoyne his father and the duches his mother Also there was redy syr Dyne of Responde bycause of their raunsome Than clerkes were
ambassadors saide they wolde do their best and assaye the venicyēce what they wolde do Whan the venycience were moued in this mater they answered but coldly and said they wolde take counsayle and gyue answere within fyftene dayes at whiche tyme they answered as I was enformed by one that was by at the answere gyueng that if the kyng of Hungry wolde selle his hoole realme the venycience shulde be redy to bargayne with hym pay hym in redy money but they said as for so lytell a thynge as scuyn thousande ducates by yere they coulde make no price nor valewre therof nother to by nor to sell wherfore they said they wolde nat medell in that small mater This was the answere that the venycience made Some thought and ymagined that this answere was made by waye of dissymulacion And that thoughe the kynge of Hungry made this offre yet by agrement the venicyens made that answere Thus the mater abode styll and the kyng of Hungry styll in his possessyon of his reuenewes Than̄e the kynges ambassadours departed fro Venyce and retourned in to Hungry the erle of Neuers abode styll at Trenuse bycause of the mortalyte in Venyce YE haue herde here before howe the lorde Philyppe of Arthois erle of Ewe and constable of Fraūce dyed in the cite of Burse in Turkey of whose dethe all his frendes were sorie and specially the frenche kyng for he loued hym entierly His office was suche that it myght nat longe be vacant whervpon all the lordes of Fraunce assembled togider to take aduyse who shuld be made constable The most parte of the coūsaile agreed on the valyant knight sir Loys of Sanxere who had ben long marshall of Fraūce and was the same tyme. He was in the parties of Languedoc and so was sente for and incōtynent he came to Paris ther was made cōstable Than was voyde the office of the marshall than the kyng sayd none shulde haue that office but alouely his knyght sir Bouciquaunt euery man agreed therto for he was well worthy Whan he was chosen he was at Venyce but shortely after he came to Paris for the raūsoms ones payde all the lordes and knightes of Fraūce returned home So sir Bouciquaunt was Marshall of Fraunce Th erle of Neuers drewe to the duke of Burgoyn his father and to the duches his mother he had great chere made hym of them and of other as it was reason for he came fro a longe voyage and a peryllous He was well receyued ī all his fathers countreis as in Flaunders in Arthoys in Burgoyne and in all other places parteynyng to his fathers and to his enherytaūce ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Howe after the returne of the lordes of Fraunce the frenche he kyng entended what he myght to set a concorde and peace in the churche Cap. CC.xxv THerle of Neuers thus returned in to Fraūce he abode about the duke his father and visyted his lādes and signories Than he had desyre to go to se the frēche kyng and the duke of Orlyaūce who receyued hym with great ioye The kyng and the duke of Orlyaunce had great appetyte to here therle speke and to here of the newes of Turkey and of all his aduentures and of the state of Lamoraba◠therle answered wisely cōplayned nothing of Lamorabaquy but said he had foūde hym ryght curtesse howe that he was well entreated and he forgat nat to shewe the kyng the ladies howe at his departyng Lamorabaquy said to hym that he was borne in this worlde to do dedes of armes and to cōquere euer more and more And how that he wolde nat cōmaūde thē whan they were prisoners that they shulde no more beare armes agaist hym but said he wolde rather haue thē come agayne the seconde thirde or fourthe tyme if nede were if the dedes of armes so required And also he said howe his entent was to se Rome and to make his horse eate otes vppon saynt Peters aulter And also he sayde howe our cristen faythe was nothyng worth but corrupted by the heedes that ought to gouerne them wherat the Turkes make but a mocke Wherfore he sayd it shulde be the distruction of Christendome and that the tyme was as than come And dyuers of the Turkes and sarazins sayde that their kyng Lamorabaquy was borne to be lorde of all the worlde And this they of Turkey of Tartarye of Perce of Alexandre and of other parties of the sarazins landes sayde They knewe it well that it shulde be so by reasone that the Christen men were abused vpon .ii. popes wherby the christen men were nat all of one accorde but differedde Some beleuyng on the one pope and some vpon the other And the sarazins had great marueyle howe the heedes of Christendome in euery realme wolde suffre it These wordes of the erle of Neuers made the Frenche kyng and other lordes greatly to muse And some sayd howe the sarazins had good reason to laugh and mocke at christendome bycause they suffred the prelates of the churche to medell so moche Therfore some sayde it was tyme to abate their pompes and to bringe thē to reason The clerkes of the vnyuersite of Paris who traueyled to lerne coude nat come to any preferment of any benifyce by reason of the Scisme in the Churche and of the two popes wherfore they wolde gladly that the people shulde murmure agaynst them And were ryght gladde that the erle of Neuers sayde that the turkes made a great derision therof And sayd Howe that without the frēche kynge and the kyng of Almaygne foūde some remedy euery thynge shulde be worse and worse And to saye the trouthe suche as helde them as neutre they thought hadde taken the best waye and so euery man ought to do if they wolde bring the Churche in to good case Also it was secretly shewed the Frenche kyng by suche as he loued and suche as loued his helthe howe that it was the cōmen opinyon in the realme of Fraūce that he shulde neuer haue perfitely his helth vnto the tyme that the Churche were brought in another estate And also they shewed the kynge howe that kynge Charles his father whan he laye in his dethe beed charged his counsayle in conscyence and had great dout that he was sore abused in those two popes Than the Frēche kynge answered them and sayd Whan the kyng my father dyed I was but yonge and I haue beleued hyder to suche as haue counsayled me if there be folly it is in them and nat in me But sythe we be nowe this enformed in the matter we shall prouide for the remedy and that shal be well sene THe Frenche kynge marked the mater more profoundely than̄e euer he dyde before and sayd to them of his coūsayle howe he wolde prouyde for the mater and spake therof to his brother the duke of Orlyaunce erle of Bloyes and of Valois who agreed anone to the kynges wyll In lykewise so dyde the duke of Burgoyne for though he obeyed
downe Vessell of golde and syluer ranne plentuously through the palays as though it had ben but of wode or erthe it was a sumptuous dyner And as I was enfourmed the frenche kynge gaue to his cosyn the kyng of Almayne all the vessell and plate of gold and syluer that was serued that day in the palays at the dresser or elswhere and all other hangynges and habylymentes in the hall and chambre whervnto the kynge retrayed after dynner and spyces and wyne taken This gyft was praysed and valewed to two hundred thousande florayns and more ouer there was gyuen to the other almayns great gyftes and goodly presentes of vessell and plate of golde and syluer wherof the straungers that were there had great marueyle of the state and puyssaunce great ryches of the realme of Fraūce These kinges thus abydynge in the cytie of Reynes their counsayles mette togyther dyuers tymes on the maters that they came thyder for as well for the maryage of the duke of Orlyaunces doughter with the Marques of Blancque bourges sonne as for the reformacyon of the churche At laste the maryage was concluded and openly publysshed through the cytie but as for the mater consernynge the popes there was nothynge knowen therof out of the counsayle for all that was concluded in the counsayle was kept secrete Afterwarde I was enfourmed how it was agreed that maister Peter Daylly bysshop of Cambraye shulde go in legacyon fro the frenche kynge and fro the kynge of Almayne to Rome to hym that was called pope Bonyface that he shulde submyt hym selfe to haue a newe electyon of a pope and in lykewyse to the other pope at Auygnon And if so be that any of them wolde nat agree therto to abyde the ordre of these two kynges he to be dysgrated all ryghtes of the churche to be kepte fro hym and the frenche kynge to comprise to his agrement his sonne in lawe the kynge of Englande and the kynge of scottes kynge Henry of Spayne kynge Iohan of Portugale kynge Charles of Nauer and the kyng of Aragon and the kinge of Almayne shulde compryse his brother Loys kynge of Hungery and all the realme of Boesme and Almayne to Pruce And it was ordeyned that whan this bysshop of Cambrey was retourned fro the sōmonyng of these two popes than he to go in to all the sayd realmes their alyes Thus these two kynges sware to holde without varyacyon or let Thus ended their counsayle at that tyme. The kynges and lordes departed amyably and euery man tooke leaue and departed and went home AT this counsayle at Reynes the duke of Burgoyne was nat nor wolde nat be◠for he sayd before that it was but a payne and a thynge loste to gyue any thynge to the almayns for they kepe no promesse nor couenaūt howe be it for all the dukes wordes there was nothynge left for the mater went forthe as ye haue herde And anon after the bysshop of Cambraye made hym redy and tooke his waye to Rome Also the frenche kynge sent a great ambassade in to Englande to se the kyng and the quene and to shewe them of this mater and so they dyd And whan they retourned they shewed the frenche kynge howe the kynge of Englande wolde take the same way that the kynge of Almayne and the Frenche kynge wolde do So they were all concluded if nede were to be as newter Thus this mater stode in this case Kynge Charles of Nauer who was in Fraūce to se the kynge his cosyn trustyng to recouer his herytage of Normandy of the countie of Ewrus the whiche the Frenche kynge had taken fro hym as ye haue herde here before but he coulde nat attayne therto by no meanes what so euer he shewed or sayd And whan the kynge of Nauerre sawe that he lost his payne and labored in vayne he toke the mater in great dyspleasure toke his leaue as sobrely as he coulde nat well contente with the frenche kynge nor with his counsayle and so retourned in to the realme of Nauerre ¶ Nowe lette vs leaue speakynge of them and speke of other accydentes that fell in Englande wherby folowed so great yuell that the lyke hath nat ben written of in this hystory here foloweth the entre and begynnynge of the mater ⸪ ⸪ ¶ Howe the erle Marshall in Englande apealed by gage of vtteraūce the erle of Derby sonne to the duke of Lancastre in the presence of the kynge and his counsayle Cap. CC.xxviii KInge Richard of Englande hadde a condycion that if he loued a man he wolde make hym so great and so nere him that it was marueyle to consydre and no man durste speke to the contrary and also he wolde lightly beleue soner than any other kynge of remembrance before hym and suche as were nere aboute hym and in his grace tooke no ensample of other that had ben great with the kyng before them as the duke of Irelande who was put out of Englande and also syr Symon Burle who by reason of suche counsayle as he gaue to the kynge he was beheeded and syr Robert Treuylyan syr Nycholas Bramble and other that had been of the kynges counsayle wherfore they suffred dethe for the duke of Gloucestre dyd all his payne to dystroy them and yet fynally he loste his lyfe as ye haue herde wherof suche as were than aboute the kynge was nothynge sory wherby some that were aboute the kynge rose in to suche pride that it was marueyle and in so moche that they coulde nat coloure nor hyde it and specyally the erle Marshall who was as great in the kynges fauoure as myght be and to the entente to please the kynge and to flatter hym he made the kynge beleue that he was a trewe faythfull and a secrete seruaunt and that he coulde nat endure to here any worde spoken agaynst the kynge and tolde the kynge many thynges to haue the kynges loue howe be it often tymes a man thynketh to be auaunced and is pulled backe and so it fortuned of the erle Marshall I shall shewe you howe ye muste knowe that the erle of Derby and the duke of Gloucestre deed had to their wyues two susters doughters to the erle of Herforde and of Northamton constable of Englande so the chyldren of the erle of Derby and the duke of Gloucestre were cosyn germayns by their mother syde and within a degre as nere of kynne by their fathers syde To say trouth the dethe of the duke of Gloucestre was ryght dyspleasaunt to many great lordes of Englande and often tymes they wolde speke and murmure therat whan they were togyder and the kynge than was so hygh vppon the whele that no man durste speke but the kynge knewe it for he had caused to be spoken abrode in the realme that what so euer he were that spake any word of the duke of Gloucestre or of the erle of Arundell he shulde be reputed as a traytour wherfore the people durst nat speke And on a
day the erle of Derby and the erle Marshall communed togyder of dyuers maters at last amonge other they spake of the state of the kynge and of his counsayle suche as he had about hym and beleued them so that at the last the erle of Derby spake certayne wordes whiche he thought for the best wenynge that they shulde neuer haue ben called to rehersall whiche wordes were nouther vylenous nor outragyous for he sayde thus Saint Mary fayre cosyn what thynketh the kynge oure cosyn to do wyll he driue out of Englande all the noble men within a whyle there shal be none left it semeth clerely that he wylleth nat the augmentacyon of his realme The erle marshall gaue none aunswere but dissimuled the mater and toke it that he spake agaynst the kynge and thought in hymselfe that the Erle of Derby was ryght lykely to make great trouble in Englande bycause he was so great with the londoners and the dyuell was redy to styre his brayne and that thynge that shall fall can nat be eschewed SO he thought to shewe this mater to the kynge whan noble mē shulde be presente and on a day to please the kynge he sayde Ryght dere syr I am of youre lygnage and ame your lyege man and marshall of Englande Wherfore sir I am bounde to you by myne Alliegeaunce and othe sworne my handes in yours that I shulde be in no place hearynge any thynge contrarye to your mageste royall and shulde kepe it secrete I ought to be reputed as a false traytour whiche I wyll nat be for I wyll trewly acquyte me agaynst you and all the worlde The kynge loked on hym and demaunded and sayd Why say you these wordes we wyll know it My right redouted souerayne lorde quod the erle Marshall I saye it bycause I canne nat suffre any thynge that shulde be preiudyciall or agaynst your grace syr cause the erle of Derby to come before you and than I shall shewe you more Than the erle of Derby was sente for and the kynge cōmaunded the erle Marshall to stande vp for he was on his knee whyle he spake to the Kynge And whan the erle of Derby was before the kyng who thought none yuell than the erle Marshall sayde Syr erle of Derby I say to you ye haue thought yuell and spoken otherwyse than ye ought to do agaynste your naturall lorde the kynge of Englande whan ye sayde that he was nat worthy to holde lande or realme seynge without lawe or iustyce without counsayle of any of his noble men he distourbeth his Realme and without tytell or good reason putteth out of his realme and dystroyeth them who ought to ayde and susteyne him wherfore here I cast my gage and wyll proue with my body agaynst yours that ye are an yuell false traytour The erle of Derby was sore abasshed with those wordes and stepte backe a lytell and stode styll a season without demaundynge of his Father or of any other what aunswere he shulde make Whan he had studyed a lytell he stept forthe with his cappe in his hande and came before the kynge and the erle Marshall and sayd Erle Marshall I saye thou arte an yuell and a false traytour and that I shall proue my body agaynst thyne and in that quarell here is my gauge Th erle Marshall whan he herde howe he was apealed shewed howe he desyred the batayle With that the erle of Derby aunswered and sayde I sette your wordes at the kynges pleasure and other lordes that be here and I tourne your wordes to a mocke and myne to be true Than eche of these erles drewe to their company and lygnage so that the manner of takynge of wyne and spyces was lette passe for the kyng shewed hym selfe to be right sore displeased and so entred in to his chambre and left his two vncles without and all their chyldren and the erles of Salysbury and Huntyngdon his bretherne Than anone after the kynge sent for his vncles and entred in to his chambre Thanne the kynge demaunded of them what was best to do in this mater Syr quod they cause your constable to come before you and than we shall shewe you our opynyons Than the erle of Rutlande who was constable was sente for and whan he was come than he was commaunded to go to the erle of Derby and to the erle Marshall and to take suretye of theym that they go nat out of the realme of Englande without the kynges lycence The constable dyd as he was cōmaunded and than retourned agayne to the kinges chambre YE maye well knowe this matter greatly troubled the courte and many lordes and knyghtes were sore dyspleased of that aduenture and secretly they greatly blamed the erle Marshall but he made as though he had ser nothyng by the mater his hert was so proude presumptuous Thus the lordes departed for that day The duke of Lācastre what so euer coūtynaunce he made he was sore displeased with these wordes and he thought the kynge shulde nat haue taken the mater as he dyd but shulde rather haue tourned it to nothynge and so thought the moste parte of all the lordes of Englande The erle of Derby went and lay at London and helde his estate at his owne lodgynge and there were pledges for him the duke of Lancastre his father the duke of yorke the Erle of Northumberlande and dyuers other lordes And the erle Marshall was sente to the towre of London and there helde his estate These two lordes made prouysyon for that was necessary for them for their batayle The erle of Derby sent his messangers in to Lombardy to the duke of Myllayne syr Galeas for to haue armure at his pleasure The duke agreed to the erles desyre and caused the knight that the erle had sent thyder whose name was Fraunces to se all the dukes armorye And whan the knyght had chosen suche as he lyked than the duke furthermore for loue of the erle of Derby he sent four of the best armorers that were in Lombardy to the erle in to Englande with the knight to the entent that they shulde arme and make armure acordynge to the erles entente The erle Marshall on his parte sent in to Almayn and in to other places to prouyde him for that iourney The charge of these two lordes was greate but the erle of Derby was at moost charge The erle Marshall whan he beganne that busynesse he thought to haue had more ayde of the kynge than he had for suche as were nere aboute the kynge sayd to him Syr ye haue nothyng to do to medle bytwene these two lordes dyssymule you the mater and let them deale they wyll do well ynough Sir ye knowe well the erle of Derby is well beloued in the realme and specyally with the Londoners and if they se that ye shulde take parte with the erle Marshall ye were lyke to lose their loue therby for euer The kynge vnderstode well their wordes and knew well it was trewe he
than dissymuled the mater as moche as he coulde and suffred them to make their prouysyon where they lyst THe newes spredde abrode in dyuers countreys of the defyaunce bytwene the erle of Derby and the erle Marshall Many men spake therof in dyuers maners and specyally in Fraunce They sayd lette theym alone the knyghtes of Englande are ouer proude at length they wyll dystroy eche other for it is the worste nacyon in the worlde vnder the sonne for in that realme dwelleth the moste presumptuous people that canne be Other there were that spake more so berly and sayde that the kynge of Englande shewed no wysdome nor was nat well counsayled whanne for wylde wordes he to suffre suche two noble men of his blode to enterprise armes in defyaunce he shulde rather whan he herde the wordes fyrste haue sayde to them bothe ye are two lordes of my blode and lygnage wherfore I cōmaunde you bothe to be in peace and lette nouther hate nor rancoure engendre bytwene you but be frendes louers and cosyns togyther and if this lande canne nat contente you go in to what countrey ye wyll and seke aduentures of armes there If the kynge had sayde those wordes and apeased these lordes thus than he had done wysely The duke of Lancastre was sore dyspleased in his mynde to se the kynge his nephewe mysse vse hym selfe in dyuers thynges as he dyd he consydred the tyme to come lyke a sage prince and somtyme sayd to suche as he trusted best Our nephue the kynge of Englande wyll shame all or he cease he beleueth to lyghtly yuell counsayle who shall distroy hym and symply if he lyue longe he wyll lese his realme and that hath been goten with moche coste and trauayle by our predecessours and by vs he suffreth to engendre in this realme bytwene the noble men hate and dyscorde by whom he shulde be serued and honoured and this lande kepte and douted He hath caused my brother to dye whiche is one thynge to be noted and the erle of Arundell bycause they shewed hym trouthe but he wolde nat here them nor none other that wolde coūsayle hym agaynst his appetyte He canne nat better dystroye his realme than to put trouble and hatred bytwene the noble men and good townes the frenche men are right subtyle for one myschiefe that falleth amonge vs they wolde it were ten for otherwyse they canne nat recouer their dōmages nor come to their ententes but by our owne meanes and dyscorde bytwene our selfe And wese dayly that all realmes deuyded are dystroyed it hath been sene by the realme of Fraunce Spayne Naples and by landes of the churche as we maye se dayly by the two popes whiche is and shall be to their dystructyon also it hath been sene by the countrey of Flaunders howe by their owne meanes they are distroyed Also presently it is sene by the lande of Frece with whome our cosyns of Haynalt are in warre and howe the frenche men amonge theym selfe are dystroyed in lykewyse amonge ourselfe without god prouyde for vs we shall dystroy our selfe the apparaunce therof sheweth greatly Nowe the kynge suffereth that my sonne and heyre shall do batayle for a thynge of nought and I that am his father maye nat speake to the contrary for myne owne honoure and for my sonnes for my sonne hathe the body of a knyght mete to entre in to armes agaynst the erle Marshall howe be it take the best therof they shall neuer loue agayne togyder as they dyd before Thus said the duke of Lancastre ALl the seasone that these two lordes dyd prouyde to do dedes of armes at vtteraunce the duke of Lancastre came neuer at the kyng nor but lytell at his sonne and that he dyd for a polycy for the Duke knewe well that his sonne was marueylously well beloued in Englande both with noble men and with other and specyally with the londoners for they had promysed and sayd to hym Syr be ye of good comforte in this busynesse for howesoeuer the matter tourne ye shall scape with honour whether the kynge wyll or nat or all the Marmosettes aboute hym for we knowe well this mater is made and conueyed by enuy to the entente to driue you out of the realme bycause ye be well beloued with many men and if so be that ye departe in trouble ye shall entre agayne with ioye for ye ought rather to rule than Rycharde of Burdeaulx for they that wyll seke out the profoundenesse of the mater maye well knowe fro whence ye came and fro whence he came wherby they maye knowe that ye be more nerer to the crowne of Englande than Rycharde of Burdeaulx though we haue made to hym faythe and homage and haue helde hym for our kyng more thanne this twenty yere but that was by fauour and purchase of his grauntfather good kynge Edwarde who douted of this poynte that we nowe speke of and on a tyme great question was made bytwene kyng Edwarde your grauntfather by youre father syde and duke Henry of Lancastre your grauntfather by your mother syde the Lady Blaunche of Lancastre but the lordes of Englande that than reygned apeased the matter for kynge Edwarde was so valyaunt a man and so happy in all his enterprises that he had the loue of all his people poore and riche nor also your grauntfather of Lancastre wolde nothynge to the Kynge but well and good and serued the kynge in his tyme nobly and trewly so that he is as yet to be recommaunded These maters well consydred by kynge Rycharde he myght well repente hym that he is no better gouerned than he is Suche wordes these londoners spake thoughe they knewe but lytell of the trouth that they spake was of a synguler fauoure The erle of Derby receyued their wordes well a worthe and dayly prepared for the batayle and he desyred his frendes to be at that iourney and so euery man prepared hymselfe accordynge to the Erles desyre THe kynge all the season that these two lordes prepared for their batayle he had many ymagynacyons whether he shuld suffre them to fyght or nat Thoughe he were kynge of Englande and more douted than any other kynge before hym yet nyght and daye he kept about hym a garde of two thousande archers who were payed their wages wekely for the kynge trusted nat greatly in theym that were nexte of his blode excepte his brother the erle of Huntyngton and the erle of Salisbury and the erle of Rutlande his cosyn germayne sonne to the duke of yorke who was well in the kynges fauoure and certayne knyghtes of his chambre as for all other he cared lytell for Whan the day aproched that these two lordes shulde do their dedes of armes as they hadde promysed and had euery thynge redy prepared Than on a daye certayne of the kynges counsayle came to the kynge and demaunded what was his entencyon that these two lordes shulde do and sayde Sir wyll ye suffre theym to fyght ye truelye
haue repealed therle of Derby agayne in to the Realme but the kyng had no mynde so to do for he dyd clene the contrary for incontynent he sente his offycers in to all the duke of Lācasters landes and toke the profites therof to hym selfe and sayd that as longe as therle of Derby stode as a banysshed man that he nor none of his shulde receyue any reuenues of any landes within the realme of Englande And moreouer wherof the kyng was greatly blamed of suche as loued the erle and his chyldren The kyng gaue awaye landes parteynynge to the herytage of the duchy of Lancastre to some of his seruauntes suche as asked them for the whiche cause many knyghtes other in Englande spake and said The kyng sheweth well that he oweth no good wyll to his cosyn the erle of Derby sythe he wyll nat repeale hym home agayne and suffre his landes to be gyuen awaye where as therle and his chyldren shulde be great membres in Englande a good staffe for the kyng to leane by But he dothe the contrary for he driueth hym awaye so wyll kepe hym in this daūger and worse if he coude For he hath taken to hym selfe his heritage and causeth his offycers to medell with the dukes landes as thoughe they were his owne And if that poore tenauntes complayne of the iniuryes done to them in their lordes absence they can nat be harde there is none that wyll do them right Also it is but a small token of loue that the kyng beareth to the erle of Derby and to his chyldren for their herytage of Lācastre whiche shulde come to thē by right enherytaūce discended fro their grandame the lady Blanche doughter to duke Henry of Lancastre The kyng gyueth parte therof away where as it pleaseth hym suche landes as shulde fall to them by the right of the lady their mother who was doughter to the erle of Herforde and Northampton and cōstable of Englande The kynge gyueth parte therof at his pleasure This is to moche done agaīst all ryght and reason and to the displeasure of all the noble men of Englande this can nat longe endure vnamended Thus the prelates noble men and commons in Englāde cōmuned and murmured IN lykewise in the realme of Frāce suche men of honour as herde spekynge of this mater and hadde sene erle of Derby at Parys hadde great marueyle therof and sayd one to another As we thynke the kynge of Englande hath takenne to great a displeasure with his cosyn the erle of Derby who is the greattest man in Englad next hym selfe He is a gracious knyght curtesse meke and tretable and a man good to be spoken vnto The kyng of Englande knoweth some other thynge by hym than we do or elles the kynge is yuell counsayled And it is marueyle that the Frenche kynge and his brother the duke of Orlyaunce and the kynges vncles do nat attemper the mater for the erle is daylye amonge theym They shulde fynde best prouisyon in this case for the kynge of Englande wyll do more for thē than for any men bicause he hath maried the Frenche kynges doughter But sythe they do nothynge therin it is best we holde oure peace and lette it passe As for the Frenche kynge his brother and his vncles thought nothyng but good They honoured and loued greatly the erle of Derby and desyred moche his company and they sawe well he was a wydower and to marry and that the duke of Berry hadde a doughter a wydowe of two husbandes she was but yonge of a xxiii yere of age was named Mary Her fyrst husbāde was Loys of Bloys who died yonge and her secōde husbande was the lorde Philyppe of Arthoys erle of Ewe who died in his retourne in Hungry as ye haue herde here before This maryage was at apoynt to haue concluded for they in Fraūce knewe well that the duke of Lancastre was a great enherytoure in Englande and the Frenche kynge was well pleased therwith bycause his doughter was Quene of Englande for he thought that the company of those two ladyes togyder shulde be great pleasure to thē bothe sythe they were so nere of blode And therby the two realmes of Fraunce and Englande shulde be the surer conioyned toguyder in loue and peace whiche was trewe if it might haue been accomplysshed but kyng Richarde of Englande his coūsayle brake all that mater for the fortunes of this world whiche are marueylous nor a thynge that shall be canne nat be eschewed The whiche fortune of this kynge Richarde was so marueylous that it is harde to thynke theron The kynge myght well haue remedyed the mater if he had wolde but that that shall be shal be I shall shewe you what I Iohan Froissarte auctour of this hystorie Herde whan̄e I was but yonge in Englande in a place called Bertamstede whiche as at that tyme parteyned to the price of Wales father to this sayde kynge Rycharde it was in the yere of grace a thousande thre hundred thre score and two And bycause the same tyme the prince and the princes shulde departe out of Englande to go in to Acq̄tayne to kepe their estate there Kyng Edwarde his father and quene Phillyppe my maistres and Lyon duke of Clarence Iohan duke of Lancastre the lorde Edmonde who was after Erle of Cambridge and duke of yorke their chyldren were come to the said maner place to se the prince and princes or they departed And as than I was of the age of .xxiiii. yere and one of my said lady the quenes clerkes of her chambre And as I satte on a benche I herde a knyght talkyng and deuysinge among dyuers ladyes and damoselles of the Quenes and sayde to them There is a booke in this countrey called the Brust many men saye it is of marueylous prophycies But accordynge to that booke the realme and crowne of Englande shulde nat retourne to the price of Wales nor yet to the duke of Clarence nor that they shulde be kynges of England though they were sonnes to kyng Edwarde but this knyght sayd that accordyng to that boke the crowne of Englande shulde come to the house of Lancastre The same season whan this knyght spake these wordes this sayd Hēry erle of Derby was nat borne nor yet seuyn yere after but yet in my dayes the same wordes tooke effecte for I sawe after the same Henry erle of Derby kynge of Englande ⸫ ⸫ ¶ Of a treatie of a maryage bytwene the erle of Derby and the duke of Berries doughter and howe kyng Rycharde of Englande dyde lette it by the erle of Salisbury Capi. CC .xxxvi. AS soone as kyng Rycharde kyng of Englande herde of the treatie of the maryage bytwene the erle of Derby and the duke of Berryes doughter that the parties were nerehāde accorded he toke those newes to great dyspleasure and sayd to the erle of Salisbury in whom he had great affyaunce ye must or dayne you to go in
to Fraunce with letters of credence to our father in lawe the Frenche kynge and to our frendes his brother vncles And shewe them fro vs that in no wyse they conclude any treatie or alyaunce of maryage with suche a traytour as is the erle of Derby who wolde betray his naturall souerayne lorde And for the remynaunt of the mater ye are wyse ynough do so therin that I maye can you thanke and that the maryage maye be broken The erle of Salisbury sayde Sir I shall do ryght well your cōmaundement But sir if it myght be broken by some other meanes or by some other persone I requyre youre grace it maye so be Sir quod the kynge excuse you natte for I wyll and also I praye you do this message whatsoeuer shall fall therof I shall sustayne you Well sir quod the erle sithe ye cōmaunde me so specially and that I se the mater toucheth you nere I shall do it thoughe I be lothe therto ye shall go quod the kynge and make haste or this alyaunce be concluded Than the Erle prepared for his departure The letters of Credence written and sealed he departed fro the kynge who was at that tyme at Leades and the Quene also The erle made haste and came to Douer and so toke the See and arryued at Calays and there founde the erle of Huntyngton who was capitayne of Calais and brother to the kynge The Erle shewed vnto hym all his busynesse and so taryed nat longe at Calays but roode to Amyence and so to Parys and all they waye that he rode he hadde good chere and was lodged at the whyte horse And whan he had chaūged him he wente to the kynge and to the quene and to that other lordes and delyuered his letters of credence Whan the kyng had reed the letters he toke the erle aparte and demaunded what was his credence The erle at length shewed his charge and named the Erle of Derby traytour agaynst his naturall lorde Whan the Frenche kyng herde those wordes he was in great displeasure for he loued so the erle of Derby that he wolde here none yuell spoken of him and toke the letters of credence agayne to the erle of Salisbury and sayd Erle we beleue you well ynoughe but our sonne of Englande is to sore moued agaynst oure cosyn of Derby and we marueyle greatly that his yuell wyll contyneweth so longe for we thynke he shulde be the better furnysshed if he were about hym and to be nexte of his counsayle Sir quod the erle of Salisbury I do but as I am cōmaunded That is trewe quod the kyng we are nat displeased with you paraduenture our sonne of Englande knoweth more than we do do your message as ye were charged and so he dyde and to the duke of Berrey also The duke gaue none aunswere therto but wente to the kyng and demaunded of hym what newes he hadde out of Englande The kynge shewed hym all as the erle of Salisburye had sayde Vpon those newes the kyng and his vncles assembled togyder secretely than the Frenche kynge sayd The kynge of Englande by lykelyhode douteth greatly therle of Derby or elles paraduēture he knoweth suche thynges as we knowe nat nor can nat come to oure knowledge And we ought rather to owe our fauoure to the kynge of Englande than̄e to the erle of Derby sythe the kynge is ioyned with vs by maryage And he wyll take it in great disdayne sythe we be enfourmed of his pleasure if we shulde do the contrary and marry the erle of Derby to the countesse of Ewe It behoueth vs rather to dissymule kepe these newes secrete tyll the erle of Salisbury be retourned Vpon this peynt the kyng and his vncles rested WHan the erle of Salisbury had done his message he tooke his leaue and departed The Frenche kynge was more displeased with his cōmyng than ioyfull for he delyuered agayne the erle of Salysbury his letters of credence and wolde nat kepe them he loued so well the erle of Derby who knewe of the erle of Salysburies beynge at Parys but he sawe hym nat for he was departed without spekyng with him and retourned to Calays and to in to Englande and shewed the kynge of Englande howe he hadde spedde Whan the erle or Derby knewe that the erle of Salisbury was departed fro Parys without spekynge with hym in his mynde he was soore displeased and thought the matter went nat well than his counsayle sayde to hym Sir shortely ye shall parceyue some other maters that ye haue nat herde of as yet thoughe it be kepte priuye fro you These Frenchmen are wyse and close It maye be so that the kyng of Englande and suche as be of his secte are displeased with that the Frenche kyng maketh you so good chere as he dothe And paraduēture it is spoken in Englande howe ye shulde mary the duke of Berryes doughter whiche pleaseth nat the kynge of Englande and therfore he wyll do what he can to breke that maryage and if it be so ye shall shortly here therof LOoke as they ymagined so it was for within a moneth after the erle of Salisbury was departed fro Parys suche of therle of Derbies parte as had the treatie of the sayde maryage in hande They spake agayne of the mater to the duke of Berryes counsayle who had their charge what they shulde answere They sayd sirs Whan my lorde the erle of Derby is in the kynges presence and the duke of Orlyaunce and his vncles presente than lette my lorde the erle of Derby speke hym selfe for we can saye no more to the mater Th erle of Derby who thought none yuell but thought those wordes hadde ben spoken to the entent to haue proched nerer to the poynt for the kynge and his counsayle made hym as good chere thanne as euer they dyde before The Erle thought to speke in the mater whan he sawe conuenyent tyme. And on a daye whan̄e he sawe the kyng and the lordes togyder he began to speke of this maryage Than the duof Burgoyne who hadde the charge to aunswere hym sayde Cosyn of Derby we haue nothynge to do to gyue in maryage ouer cosyn to a traytour With that woorde the erle of Derby was greatly abasshed chaūged colour sayd Sir I am here in the kynges presence I wyll answere to this I was neuer traytour nor neuer thought trayson if there be any persone that wyll charge me with trayson I am redy to answere nowe or whā it shall please the kynge here beyng present Nay cosyn quod the kyng I beleue ye shall fynde no man in Fraunce that wyll chalenge your honoure for the wordes that myne vncle hath spoken came out of Englande than the erle kneled downe and sayd Sir I beleue it well But god defende me and all my frendes and confounde all myne ennemyes The Frenche kynge toke vp the erle sayd Cosyn apeace your selfe euery thynge shall tourne to the best And