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A68075 An epitome of Frossard: or, A summarie collection of the most memorable histories contained in his chronicle, chiefly concerning the state of England and France Wherin the famous warres and conquests of king Edward the third, with the honorable atchieuements of the Blacke Prince, and other his sonnes, both in Fraunce, Spaine, and Portugall, are compendiously described. ... Compiled in Latine by Iohn Sleydane, and translated into English, by P. Golding.; Chroniques. English. Abridgments Froissart, Jean, 1338?-1410?.; Sleidanus, Johannes, 1506-1556.; Golding, Arthur, 1536-1606.; Golding, Per., attributed name. 1608 (1608) STC 11399; ESTC S105661 150,748 216

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Armenia who had been driuen out of his country by the Tartars and came lately before into France being not a little sory that so great dissension should grow between two such puissant Princes as the French King and the English of a certaine godly zeale and good disposition sayled ouer into England to make a tryall if he could doe ought in establishing a peace between them The King of England gaue him patient eare in discoursing his miseries and banishment and how the power of the Turkes and Barbarians daily encreased through the mutuall wars and dissention of the Christian Princes And when by occasion hereof he descended to the point to exhort to loue and concord the King answered that he should first deale with his aduersary to discharge his great army and that done for his part he was not so peruerse but he would willingly embrace whatsoeuer was agreeable to equity and reason Herevpon he returned to the French King who seemed nothing affected nor inclinable to peace The third Booke IT fortuned in Fraunce that a certaine gentleman of the Earle of Alaunsons house rauished another mans wife whilste her husband was absent in a forraine country Assoone as he returned the sorrowfull Lady with teares in her eyes and shame in her countenance declared vnto him the violence shee had suffered Her husband complained to the Earle of Alaunson and the party accused denied the deed Now the Earle shewing himselfe more fauourable to the offender then to him that had the iniury the plaintiffe appealed to the Parliament of Paris A whole yeere and more the matter was there ca●uassed and in conclusion when the one still auouched the fact and the other stood stoutly in denyall it was decreed that the controuersie should be decided by combate So at a certaine day which either themselues had chosen or the iudges appointed they encountred one another firston on horse-backe after on foote Not blind fortune which otherwise is wont to beare sway in such cases but iustice and true valour shewed their force in this conflict For he that held his wiues chasti●y deerer then his owne life and was not affraid to venture his head in defence of the same by his aduersaries destruction made it manifest to the worlde that there is a God of vengeance which will not suffer secret wickednesse to escape vnpunished After he was slaine the hangman drew his bodie to the gallowes and hung it vp whereas if he had fortuned to g●t the victorie the woman for falsly accusing him should by decree of the Parliament haue bene burned and her husband after his death put to the same reproch which now was vsed to his aduersarie The whole company of honourable spectators highly exstolled the conqueror and applauded his victory with deserued commendation Moreouer the French king out of a certaine princely respect and inclination not suffering so worthy an acte to passe vnrewarded gaue him presently a thousand franks and from thenceforth a pension of two hundreth pounds by the yeere during his life About this time deceassed the King of Arragon who a little before his death calling his sonnes vnto him exhorted them to mutuall loue and concord for as much as in so great partaking of Princes he onely had stood indifferent betweene the two Popes he desired his sonnes that they would doe the like and not apply themselues to any faction till the truth were more manifestly discussed Neuerthelesse when he was dead Pope Clement and the French king drew Iohn his eldest sonne to their party But when he came to be crowned the citties would not consent vnlesse he were first solemnly sworne not to leuy any tributes or exactions of money other then such as had bene formerly accustomed Edward Prince of Wales as long as he liued was for his noble chiualry and glorious fortune held in great admiration and many sought his friendship and alliance Amōgst others there was also a league betweene him and the King of Arragon vnder these conditions That the Englishmen should at no time make warres vppon the realme of Arragon and in consideration hereof that the King of Arragon should yeerely send fiue hundreth horse to serue the Duke of Aquitaine against any enemy whatsoeuer or if he could not conuen●ently finde so many horsemen he shold pay him a certaine summe of mony Now for the space of ten yeeres he had neither done the king of England any seruice nor payd him any money The Duke of Lancaster therefore to whom at his setting forth towards Portugall the king his nephew had giuen authority to demaund all rights and seruices belonging to the Dukedom of Aquitaine either from the king of Arragon or any other thinking that so great a masse of money would much pleasure him in his present affaires wrote letters requiring those arrerages and sent them to the King of Arragon by the Archbishop of Burdeaux Who at his cōming found the King very sicke so as he dyed within few dayes after The Archbishop neuerthelesse still prosecuted his suite and the new king offended with his importunity cast him in prison at Barcelone Whereof when the Duke of Lancaster was informed he gaue commandement to the English garrison at Lourde which is the only strong and impregnable castle in those quarters that they should infest the Arragonians with warre and doe them as much displeasure as they could They were nothing slack in performing his commaund and wrought great annoyance to the country especially to the merchants whom they intercepted at euery passage and spoyled of their commodities The people of Barcelone being vexed with their daily excursions and caught vp as a prey by the rauenous souldiers made such meanes to their king by intercession of the nobility that he was content to release his prisoner After that by perswasion of the Duke of Ber●y the voyage into England was deferred as we haue shewed a little before assoone as the spring came on it was appointed that the Constable of Fraunce with twelue thousand men should be sent to inuade England and besides that certaine forces should be likewise conueid into Spaine to the reliefe of King Iohn against the Englishmen Portingales Vppon this occasion a new subsidy beeing sessed againe through all Fraunce ye might haue seen many country people and towne-dwellers which not knowing how otherwise to helpe themselues abandoned their lands and tenements and departed either into Henault or into the Bishoprick of Liege because those places at that time were free from the burthen of such intollerable exactions The succours sent into Spaine were six thousand horsemen vnder conduct of the Duke of Burbon We haue told you before how the king of Portugall expecting the successe of the English warre dissembled politickly with the Duke of Lancaster in the meane while Now when he saw that England was discharged of the daunger and that the French kings army was dissolued he sent some forthwith to affiance the Duke
to succour the Lady Mountfort The Englishmen were entertained with great applause at Bayon and Burdeaux Afterward laying siege to Bergerat a towne neere the riuer Gerond they receiued the townsemen to mercy the English Captaine taking their othe of fidelitie in the name of the King his Master They tooke many other places also partly by composition partlie by force of armes Amongst other they wonne the Castle of Auberoch a place notably fortified and leauing there a Garrison to defend it the English Captaine returned againe with the rest of his army to Burdeaux In the meane while the French men to the number of twelue thousand besieged the same Castle againe verie streytly and put the souldiers there in Garrison to great distresse But the English Captaine at Burdeaux hauing intelligence thereof assembled some nine hundreth men and in an euening when the French men were to supperward brake suddainelie out of a wood and charged so resolutely vppon them that he put them to discomfiture and in the chace tooke diuers prisoners their Captaine for one being sore wounded whome the people in those partes had in such estimation as if he had beene a Prince As the English men lay in leaguer before a certaine Castle the souldiers put their Captaine in holde because he refused to yeeld it vp to the enemy and would by no meanes graunt his liberty but vppon consent to their request In the end he consented and afterward comming to Tholouse was there arrained of treason and hanged vppon a gibbet for his labour The towne of Rioll was likewise rendered into the Englishmens handes but the Castle was still maintained by the Captaine The Englishmen therefore drew a mine ouerthrew a great part of it to the ground then the captaine considering his imminent perill abandoned the place and left the Castle to the English They also receiued Angolesme by composition after a moneths respit which the townsemen had requested vppon hope to be releeued in the meane time by the French King It is formerly tolde you of Iaques de Arteuill how he was growne so great among the Flemmings that the Earle himselfe could haue no safe recourse into his own country But at length hee receiued the iuste reward of a seditious rebell He had giuen great hope to the King of England that hee would procure the whole countrey of Flaunders by generall consent to accept him for their soueraigne And for accomplishment hereof the King of England with a well furnished nauie arriued in the hauen of Flaunders The matter was propounded to the commons and all for the most part seemed well affected to the King of England But the Gauntoys tooke this practise in meruailous ill part and when Iaques returned into the Citle they entertained him nothing so kindly as they were wont but besetting the house where he was brake open the dores vppon him and slew him as he thought to haue escaped at a posterne Amongst other Articles wherewith they charged him this also was a principall point that he had priuately conueyed all the common treasure ouer to the King of England The Earle of Flaunders moreouer had but one onelie sonne About the same time William Earle of Henault sayling with great assistance into Friseland pretending himselfe to be rightfull Lord of that country was himselfe there slaine in battell with diuers of his nobilitie After his death Margaret Princesse of Henault and wife to Lewis of Bavier the Emperour tooke possession of this Earledome The French King was very desirous to draw vnto his partie one Sir Iohn of Henault a worthy Gentleman and a gallant souldier who had formerly done great seruice to the King of England The matter was attempted by diuers meanes and when no other would take effect this devise was put in practise to insinuate into his conceit that the King of England had a purpose to withdrawe from him his pensions and yeerely entertainments He gaue such credit to this report that forthwith he wholy estranged himselfe from the King of England and yeelded his seruice to the French King When the French King vnderstood that the Englishmen wasted Aquitaine and had wonne many townes and fortresses there he levied his forces amounting to the number of an hundreth thousand men Ouer this armie he appointed his Sonne John Duke of Normandy to be Lievetenant Generall To the French kings ayde came Odet Duke of Burgundy with his Sonne Phillip Earle of Artoys and Boloine both of them excellently well accomplished for the warr They recouered the towne of Angolesme laid siege to the castle of Aguillion gotten before by the Englishmen vppon composition then which there was not a stronger nor better fortified in those quarters The winning thereof was by sundry meanes attempted But it is incredible to beleeue with what courage and resolution the Englishmen that laye there in Garrison defended themselues The French King being aduertised thereof and demaunded what his pleasure was to be done in the matter returned answere to his Sonne that he should continue his siege till necessitie of hunger constrained them to yeeld The King of England vnderstanding in what distresse his men were raysed in continently a power of fourteen thousand souldiers He was accompained amongst other with his Son Edward Prince of Wales and a certain French Gentleman called Godfrey of Harecourt who being expulsed his country by the French King fled to the King of England for safegard of himselfe and reuenge of his iniuries for the French King had seized vppon all his possessions This Godfrey was the cause that the King of England directed his course into Normandy being otherwise purposed to sayle into Aquitaine He diuided his Armie into three partes whereof two raunged along the sea coast wasting the fields sacking diuers townes and leading away their prisoners least afterward they might gather to a head and worke them some displeasure The third wherein was the King himselfe marched through the maine land making hauocke of all things and euery night they mette all together againe at the kings campe The French King in the meane time caused such an armie to be raised as a more puissant had not beene seene in Fraunce of many yeeres Letters were also addressed to the King of Bohemia for ayde who at that time highly fauoured the French King The Englishmen tooke a very rich towne in Normandy called Saint Lupes and afterward hastened to the siege of another much richer called Caē borrowing that name of the riuer running by it The townsmen were purposed to haue giuen battell to the Englishmen in the field but being people vnexperienced in armes at the first fight of the enemie they fled backe again into the towne The French captaines had betaken themselues to their fortresses but beholding the huge slaughter made in the Citie for the Englishmen had taken it they yeelded Amongst other prisoners the Constable was one whome with the rest which were taken in his company the
enemie Moreouer being besieged in a certaine Castle and put to great distresse when for the most part all that were about her perswaded to yeeld shee alone amongst men persisted in opinion to the contrarie and with this resolution held it out so long till at last the English forces which had wandred a great while vppon the Seas arriued to her rescue A certaine French captaine called Lewis of Spaine tooke the Citie of Dinant in Britaine by composition the Citizens hauing slaine their gouernour in the market place because he refused to yeeld it Another Citie neere adioyning named Gerand was taken by the same Captaine by force where not so much as Children and little infants nor the Temples consecrated to Gods seruice could escape the vttermost rigour of warre but were all destroyed with fire and Sword The Duke was much displeased with this impious cruelty and worthylie caused the authors of such wickednesse to be hanged He also receiued the citie of Vannes vppon composition without consent of the captaine and many other places besides To be short diuerse encounters passed both by Sea and Land with variable fortune on both sides A towne and Castle in those partes called Hamibout was assaulted with great violence but defended with more valour for therin at that time remayned the Duchesse of Britaine whome wee spake of before The French men perceiuing they spent their time in vaine and that Winter began to approach perswaded Charles of Bloys to dismisse his Armie and withall to take a truce and place his souldiers in Garrison It was so done and the Duchesse sayled ouer to the King of England who sent an Armie into Britaine against the French men About this time the noble men of England counselled their King to take a stedfast truce with the Scottes for three yeeres space if it might be shewing how great a burthen it would be to him to supporte so huge a charged of wars round about him in Scotland on the one side in Fraunce on the other Herevppon Ambassadours were sent to the Scottish King but nothing could be effected for he would determine vppon nothing without the French kings counsell The King of England mooued therewithall raysed a mightie power in purpose to bring the Scottes to vtter subuersion But in the meane time by the mediation of good men a truce was obtained stablished The English Armie which we spake of erewhile met with the French kings fleete well appointed vppon the coast of Britaine There they encountred one another and continued in fight till within the euening Somewhat before midnight there arose a very dangerous tempest which scattered them in such sort that they were separated more then an hundreth miles asunder In this conflict also the Countesse of Mountfort her selfe performed knightly seruice At length the English men recouered a hauen not farre from the City of Vannes at that time in possession of the French men where putting on land their forces they valiantly approched the Citie And in conclusion diuiding their army into three partes with two of them they fiercely assaulted the town in two seuerall places in the night season and whilste al men resorted thither to make resistance they brought the rest of their forces to a place vnfortified and so entred the towne putting all that were in it eyther to the Sword or to flight There were two French Lords which had the custody of this towne whome it full sorely greeued to see the Citie thus taken Therefore assembling such forces as they could rayse vppon the suddaine they gaue a fresh assault to the towne and so surprised it agine from the enemy In these conflicts Robert of Artoys admirall of the English fleete and Generall of the warre was wounded who being conueyed to London for the cure of his hurts in short space after there ended his life Whereat the king of England conceiued so great greefe and displeasure that of purpose to reuenge the death of so worthy a man so deerely esteemed he himselse sailed ouer with a mighty power of shipping into Britaine So great was the number of the English forces that at one instant they besieged three of the most puissant Cities in all that countrey Renes Vannes and Nants where Charles of Bloys with his wife at the same time remained besides the towne of Dinant which they tooke by force Charles of Bloys wrote to the French King concerning the state of his affaires the arriuall of the English the besieging of his townes earnestly requiring that he would succour him in this great distresse The French King sent his sonne the Duke of Normandy who with an Armie of some forty thousand tooke his way directly towardes Vannes at that time very streytly besieged by the English And had not the winter season brought great impediment to their purpose it had surelie come to a field battell But at length through the intercession of twoo Cardinals sent from Pope Clement a truce was agreed vppon for three yeares and a solemne o the taken of the Princes for the due obseruation thereof in the meane space So the King of England returned into his owne countrey Whilste the warres were yet open the Englishmen had laid siege to the Citie of Vannes latelie before recouered by the French and it was stoutly defended by twoo noble men the one called Lord Clisson the other Henrie of Lyon It was these mens fortune in a certaine light skirmish to be taken prisoners by the English and because there was a Lord of England also remaining among the French vpon conclusion of the truce communication was had for the exchange of prisoners The King of England for the redeeming of his deliuered to the French men the Lord Clisson detayning the other still prisoner Herevppon as is most likely some emulous obseruers of Clissons cariage raysed a suspition that he should be secretly affected to the English and that for this respect he rather then the other obtained his libertie To be short this iealousie encreased so farre that he lost his head for it at Paris And for the like cause diuers other noble men suffered the like punishment Sure it was a lamentable spectacle especially considering that Clisson in the recouerie of Vannes from the English had so honourablie performed the office both of an excellent Captaine and valiant souldier This act of the French kings was taken in so ill part by the King of England esteeming it done in his reproch that he commaunded Henrie of Lyon to be presently set at libertie and freely forgaue him his raunsome onelie enioyning him at his returne to signifie to the French King how he interpreted these proceedings no otherwise then as intended to his dishonour and that thereby he held the late truce to be violated wherefore he should expect no other from him but as an enemy This message was deliuered to the French King and the King of England sent an armie into Aquitane with certaine other forces
to be their Captaine It is declared before how Iohn the sonne of Henry king of Cast●e was by generall consent of the state admitted to the succession of the crowne This much displeased Ferdinando King of Portugall who held it a great indignity that the sonne of a bastard should be exalted to the gouernment of so great a dominion and the lawfull Kings daughters be disinherited the while of whome as we haue sayd before the Duke of Lancaster had married one and his brother the other Moued therefore with the vnworthines of the matter and also because he was alyed in bloud to the Ladies he proclaymed warres against the King of Spaine desiring ayd of the King of England who sent his vncle the Earle of Cambridge with an army hauing also in his company Isabell his wife and Iohn his sonne The Duke of Lancaster was sent into Scotland to treate with the Scottish King for the renewing of peace or at least wise to take a truce for a season During his absence there sprung vp a most perillous insurrection the occasion whereof in effect was this The country people in those places as in diuerse others hold their livings of the Nobilitie and Gentlemen in such sort as they are bound both to till their lands to fell their corne to gather it together bestowe it in their barnes thresh it dresse it and whatsoeuer else belongs vnto it they are also bound to cut their wood and carry it home to their Landlords houses Now the same time there was a certain masse priest called Sir Iohn Wallis who had preached in his sermōs to the people that equalitie ought to be obserued in all things that one man was no better then another the gentleman then the churle the rich then the poore the learned then the ignorant but all men were deriued frō the selfe same parents euen Adam Eve and that our first fore-fathers liued all after one sort without any ine quality of state or difference of persons Herewithall he perswaded them to assemble in great number and make suite to the King for redresse who because he was young might perhaps be brought to harken to their requests or if he would not then to set themselues at libertie by the sword This priest being apprenhended and committed to prison for these matters was by the Archbishop of Canterburie let loose vpon what conscience I know not but sutelie it proued to his owne sorrow and confusion For after he was once abroad he proceeded with his enterprise more boldlie then before The poorer sort of the Londoners for enuie they bare to the rich as it is commonly seene commended this course of the rebelles and by letters soll icited them to come to London promising to giue them entrance into the Citie Herevppon gathering their company together both out of all the country adio●ing and from some places further of wel neere to the number of threescore thousand they came to Canterburie a towne of their owne faction and there spoiled the shrine of Saint Thomas Next dare marching forwards they beat down to the ground all houses in their way which belonged not to some of their conspiracie and which way soeuer they went they compelled all husbandmen to be pertakers of their proceedings At Rochester they tooke a certaine knight by force and made him to become their leader and for assurance that he should not deceiue them made him deliuer his children into their hands for pledges When they came within a little of London they sent him to the King with this message that they were minded to haue some speech with him concerning weightie affaires and therefore that he should come forth and talke with them The King vppon deliberation made aunswere that he would performe their request So the next day accompanied with certaine lords he entred his barge and rowing neere the place where they were descended to the shore in great number expecting his comming he demaunded of them what they would with him They required that he would come out of his barge to parlie and then their demands should be declared vnto him But the King distrusting their multitude without any further communication returned backe againe Then being more vehemently mooued they hastned to London making spoile of some lawyers and gentlemens houses in their way And when they approched the Citie finding the gates shut against them they threatned to set fire on the suburbs with the cruellest effects of their furie besides and that if they entred by force it should be to the vtter destruction of all that were in it The Citizens herewith dismaid especially considering that a great number within inclined to sedition and tumult gaue them entrance They were no sooner come in but presentlie they raunged through all the tauernes and tipling houses and fell to drinking and making good cheere no man presuming so much as once to say them nay of any thing The Captaines in the mean while with some twentie thousand marching through the middest of the Citie set fire on the duke of Lancasters house and some others which they burned to the ground They put all strangers to the sword and rifled the houses of the Exchangers In the euening they assembled themselues altogether againe in a company before the tower where the King then remained and with him a great number of the chiefe of the citie openly protesting that they would neuer from thence till such time as they had obtained their purpose The King some others thought it best to haue set vpon them in the night season as they lay negligently dispersed and vnarmed ouerwhelmed with sleepe drunkēnes and so to haue defeated them Others to whome this attempt seemed daungerous and of great vncertainty in the euent iudged it better that means were made to pacifie them with some gentle and plausible oration And this counsell tooke effect The day following the King sent them word that as many as would speake with him should repaire to a certaine place where he would meete them and giue satisfaction to their demaunds Many came and many taried still in the citie especially the cheefe captaines of the sedition who assoone as the King was gone forth followed with some fower hundreth of their companions brake into the tower and there surprising the Archbishop of Canterburie Lord Chancellor of England they cut of his head and serued diuers others also of great account in the same sort whose heads they prict vpon polles and set them vp vppon the bridge and other places of greatest view and most resort in the citie When the King came to communication with the rebells he demaunded gently of them what they required Marry quoth they that thou set vs and our Children and our posteritie that shall come after vs at libertie for euer and being so enlarged maintaine and preserue vs from all manner of bondage and seruitude either in shew or substance The King promised to
was very glad and desirous to goe this iourney His first landing was in the hauen of Brest which towne because the Englishmen refused to restore to the Duke of Britaine was at that time by the Britons and Frenchmen together beseiged But the Duke of Lancasters puissance enforced the Britons to raise their seige Then directed he his course towards Cologne a towne in Spaine For after much deliberation it was generally thought more honour to land first in their enemies country then to go streight to their friends But the towne was so strongly fortifyed as their atttempt and endeauour was vaine Therefore loosing from thence they sayled to Compostella into which towne after some parly they were honourably receiued Assoone as the King of Spaine heard tydings of the Englishmens arriuall he tooke counsell with certaine French Lords whome he chiefly fauoured concerning his affaires and what they thought of the Englishmens proceedings They were absolutely of opinion that the king of Portugale should marry the Duke of Lancasters daughter and therefore that it behou'd him to require ayde of the French king who both in respect of his owne good disposition and the most strict and auncient alliance betweene Spaine and Fraunce would not faile of his friendly dutie in that behalfe Moreouer assuring him that there were a great number in Fraunce so ill affected to idlenes that nothing could happen more according to their desires then to meete with any occasion of millitary employment When they had giuen him this counsell they further aduised him to take order that all weake holds churches and such like whereinto the country people had conueyed their goods for feare of the forraging souldiers should be beaten downe For those places were such as could not be defended and if they were taken the prey and pillage therein would afforde greate profite and aduantage to the enemy The King to whō this counsell seemed not amisse authorised the French men to cast downe what they thought good at their discretion and withall to seize whatsoeuer they found in them after a day prefixed to their owne commodity The French king being solicited by the king of Spayne for ayd required him to be of good courage for within short space he would bend all the forces he was able to make against the English nation who being once subdued he would send store of souldiers into Spaine by whose helpe he should be enabled not onely to brydle and restrayne but to breake and confound the puissance of both his aduersaries Whilst the Englishmen wintred at Compostella they made often rodes into the country and brought certaine townes vnder their subiection In the meane time the king of Pontingale wrote diuerse Letters to the Duke of Lancaster full of great kindnesse and affection But counsell was giuen the Duke that he should delay the matter no longer nor negociate with the King any further by letters that it was very behooueful for him now he had proceeded thus farre to goe through with his affaires as speedily as might be the French men were subtle fellowes the Spaniards had small faithfulnes and it might so fall out that the French men by whome the King of Spaine was wholy carryed would perswade him to agreement with the King of Portingale vppon some indifferent conditions These reasons were approoued and therevppon the Duke sent word to the King of Portingale that he was desirous to speak with him whereto he condiscended and so they met at a place appointed After much communication it was concluded that the Duke of Lancaster should stay all the winter at Compostella sending abrode his souldiers to forrey the country in the meane while and assoone as the spring time approched to aduance their Standards both together against the enemy in what part of the Kingdome soeuer he remayned Also that the King of Portugale should take his choyce which of the Dukes daughters he would haue in marriage He chose Phillip the Dukes daughter by his first wife The matters thus accomplished the duke returned to Compostella The King of Spaine being disquicted by the English souldiers which wasted his country and forced his townes to yeeld meruailed much that there came no ayd all this while out of Fraunce but the French Lords alwaies encouraged him putting him in comfort that assoone as the wars in England were dispatched he should not faile of sufficient succours The French King vppon a meruailous desire to inuade England assembled the greatest puissance he could possibly make There were numbred of noblemen and gentlemen aboue twenty thousand and more then fifteene hundred shippes abundantly furnished with all necessaries euen to smallest trifles And although this preparation was such as a greater or more sumptuous had not been seen in mans remembrance yet as it often happeneth in such occasions the report thereof in England farre exceeded the truth and was extended aboue measure In so much that publicke prayers and supplications were daily offered to God that he would auert and turne from them this imminent mischeife All the hauens and port townes where they suspected the French men might land were strongly fortified and planted with Garrisons and an vnmeasurable masse of mony was leuied amounting to the ●umme of twenty hūdred thousand florēs so as there was no man in the whole kingdome which felt not the waight of this heauy burthen All good and well disposed persons bewayled the present state of their country but idle vnthrif●s male-contents and such as had nothing to take to were of nothing more desirous The French army was now fully furnished and all things put in a readines in the hauen of Sluse in Flaunders nothing was wanting but onely the Duke of Berryes presence He neuer allowed this enterprise and at his comming thither when consultation was had about setting forward on their iourney he perswaded the contrary with diuers reasons as the roughnes of the winter weather for it was then about Christmas and the tender age of the King whome he thought in no wise was to be committed to the vncertainty of winds and seas at that vnseasonable time of the yeere His counsell preuailed and therevppon the voyage was put of till the next spring the preparation whereof stood Fraunce in little lesse then thirty hundred thousand Frankes It was oftentimes reported for certainty to the King of Portugale that the French Kings army was already entered into England Wherevppon some gaue him counsell that he should not be to forward in marrying his wife which he had lately affianced but rather to exspect what issue the wars would come to for if it should happen the King of England to go by the worse as it was likely enough at that time the Duke of Lancasters friendship would then do him small pleasure The King following their aduise dissembled his marriage and for a while made nomotion at all thereof but with kind letters and costly presents still continued the Dukes fauour for his aduantage Leo King of