Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Capitulum xv.

ALSO this same yere hadde ben a pees made and sworne bytwene the duc of Burgoyne and the Dolphyn, whiche were sworn vpon our Lordes body, that they shold love and assyste eche other ageynst theyr enemyes. And after this, contrary to this othe, the Duc Iohan of Burgoyne was slayne and

pytously murthred in the presence of the Dolphyn. Wherfore the Frensshemen were gretely devyded and of veray necessyte labouryd to have a trayte with the kynge of Englond. For the kynge of Englond wanne dayly on them townes, castels, and fortresses. Also this same yere was Quene Iane arestyd and brought to the castel of Ledys in kente. And one Frere Randolf, a doctour of divynyte, her confessour, whiche after|ward was slayne by the person of the Tour fallynge at wordes and debate. And afterward Quene Iane was delyverd. In the seuenth yere both kynges of Fraunce and of Englond were acorded, and kyng Harry was made heyr and regente of Fraunce, And wedded dame Kateryne the kynges doughter of Fraunce, atte Troyes in Champayne, on Trynyte Sondaye. And this was made by the meene of Phelyp, newely made duke of Bur|goyne, whiche was sworne to kynge Harry, and for tavenge his faders deth he was become Englysshe. And thenne the kyng with his newe wyf wente to Parys, where he was ryally receyvyd. And from thens he with his lordes and the duc of Burgoyne and many other lordes of Fraunce leyd syege to dyuerse townes and castels that helde of the Dolphyns partye, wan them, but the toune of Melun helde long, for therin were good defendours. In the viij. yere the kyng and the quene cam ouer see, & londed on Candelmasse by the morow at Douer, & the xiiij. day of Feverer the kyng cam to London, & the xxj. day of the same moneth the quene cam, & the xxiiij. day of the same she was crowned at Westmestre. Also the same yere anon after Ester the kyng helde a parlement at West|mestre, at whiche parlement it was ordeyned that the gold in Englysshe coyne shold be weyed, and none resseyved but by weyght. And anone after Whitsontyde the king sayled to Caleys, and passyd soo forth in to Fraunce. And in Marche the two and twentyest daye byfore the king cam over, the duc of Clarence was slayne in Fraunce, and dyverse other lordes taken prysoners, as the erle of Huntyngdon, the erle of Somer|sete, with dyverse other. And al was bycause they wold not with hem Archers, but thought to have doo with the Frensshmen them self withoute them. And yet whanne he was slayn tharchers cam and rescowed the body of the duc, whiche they wold have caryed with them. God have mercy on his soule, he was a valyaunt man. And the same yere bytwene Crystemasse and Candelmasse the toune of Melun was yolden to the kynge. In the nynth yere on saynt Nycholas day in December was borne Harry the kynges first begoten sonne at Wyndesore, whoos godfaders at fontstone was Harry, bishop of Wynchestre, and Iohan duke of Bedforde, And the duchesse of Holond was godmoder; and Harry Chychely, arche|bisshop of Caunterbury, was godfader atte confermyng. And in the tenth yere the cyte of Mews in Brye was goten, whiche

had ben longe besyeged. And this same yere the Quene shipped at Hampton, and sayled over to the kynge in Fraunce, where she was worshipfully receyved of the kyng, and also of the kyng of Fraunce her fader, and of her moder: and thus kyng Harry wan faste in Fraunce, and helde grete astate, and sate at dyner at a grete feste in Parys crowned, and the quene also, whiche hadde not ben seen tofore; and alle peple resorted vnto his courte. But as to the kyng of Fraunce, he helde none astate ne rule, but was left almoost allone. Also this yere the whethercock was sette vpon Powlus steple at London.

And this yere in the moneth of August kynge Harry wexe seke at Boys de Vyncent. And whanne he sawe he sholde deye, he made his testament, and ordeygned many thynges nobly for his sowle, and devoutly resseyved alle the ryghtes of hooly chirche, in soo ferforth that whanne he was enoynted he sayd the seryvyse with the preeste; and whanne the vers of the Psalme, Miserere mei, Deus, &c., that was Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Syon, vt edificentur muri Ierusalem, was sayd, he bade tarye there, and sayd thus: "O good Lord thou knowest that myn entent hath ben and yet is yf I myght lyve to reedefye the wallys of Ierusalem," and thenne the preest proceded forth and made an ende. And anone after this mooste noble prynce, vyctoryous kynge, flour in his tyme of Crysten chyvalrye, whome all the world doubted, gaf his soule into the handes of God, & deyde & made an ende of his naturel lyf atte sayd Boys de Vyncent besyde Parys, the syx and thryttyest yere of his age: on whoos soule god have mercy, Amen. Thenne was the bodye enbamed and cered and leyde in a ryall chare, and an ymage lyke vnto hym was leyde vpon the corps open, with dyvers baners and horse covered rychely with tharmes of Englonde and Fraunce, And also the old armes, as saynt Edwardys, saynt Edmonds, and other; with grete multitude of torchys; with whome wente the kyng of Scotlande and many other lordes, whiche accom|panyed the body till it cam vnto Westmynstre by London in Eng|londe. And in every toune by the waye he hadde solempnly his dirige atte even and masse on the morn, and moche Almesse was gyven to poure people. And the seventhe daye of No|vembre after the corps was brought thurgh London with grete reverence and solempnyte vnto the monasterye of Westmynstre, where as he nowe resteth. On whoos tombe is a ryche ymage lyke hym self of sylver and gylt, where he is dayly remembrid and praid for. On whoos sowle, and all Crysten, God have mercy. Amen.