The Cronycles of Englonde with the dedes of popes and emperours, and also the descripcyon of Englonde

¶ How the 〈…〉〈…〉 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉

Bynge 〈…〉〈…〉 of his regne 〈…〉〈…〉 Chryst∣in asse in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of y^• 〈…〉〈…〉 saynt Paule h••lde his 〈…〉〈…〉 West∣mynster / in y^• whiche parlyament was put forth & shewed y^• accorde 〈◊〉〈◊〉 y^• treatys that was stablysshed & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bytwene the two kynges / whiche accorde, pleased to moche people / & therfore ••y y^• kynges cōmaūdemēt there were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 & come togyder in Westmynster chirche y^• fyrst sonday of le••t / that is to saye / the second kal of February the foresayd Englysshe men & Frenssomen / where was songe a solempne masse of y^• Crinite of the arche bysshop of Caunterbury mayster Sy∣mond Islepe. And whan Agn{us} dei was done the king beynge there w^t his sones & also y^• kynges sones of Fraūce & other noble & grete lordes with candellyght & crosses brought forth / & al that were not sworne before / swore that same y^• was wryten vpon goddes body & on y^• masse boke in this wyse. We N. and N. swere vpon goddes body & on y^• holy gospelles stedfastly to holde & kepe toward vs the peas & the accorde made bytwene y^• two kynges & neuer for to do y^• cōtrary. And whan they had thus sworne / they toke theyr crosses y^• theyr othes were compre he••ded in to y^• notaryes. And this same yere it fort〈…〉〈…〉 vpon the A••cēcyon euen about mydday was seen y^• eclypse of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / & there folowed suche a drought / that for defaut of••ayne there was grete br••nnynge ofcor••e fruyte & 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ¶ And in the same moneth the .vj. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Iune there fell a sanguyne rayn•• almoost ly∣ke blode at Burgoyne. And a sanguyne crosse from morow vnto pryme appered and was seen at Boloyn in the ••yre / the

whiche many men sawe / & after it me∣ued & fell in y^• myddes of the see. ¶ And in the same tyme in Fraūce & Englonde & many other londes as they that were in playne coūtrees & desert bare wytnes sodeynly there appered two castels / of y^• whiche wente out two hostes of armed men. And that one hoost was clothed in whyte / & that other in blacke / & whan batayle bytwene them was begon / the whyte ouercame the blacke / & anone af∣ter the blacke toke herte to them & ouer∣came the whyte / & after that they went agayn i to theyr castels / & than y^• castels & all the hoost vanysshed awaye. ¶ And in the same yere there was a grete & an huge pestilēce of people & namely of men whose wyues as women out of gouer∣naūce toke husbādes as well straūgers as other lewde & symple people / y^• whi∣che forgetynge theyr honour & worshyp & birth coupled & maried them w^t them y^• were of lowe degre & lytell reputacyon. ¶ In this same yere died Henry duke of Lancastre / & also in this yere Edwarde prynce of Wales wedded the coūtesse of Kēt y^• was syr Thomas wyfe of Holand the whiche was departed somtyme & de uorced fro y^• erle of Salysbury for cause of y^• fals knyght. And about this tyme began & rose a grete cōpany of diuers na cyōs gadred togider / whose leders were Englysshmen w^tout ony heed / y^• whiche dyd moche harme in y^• party of Fraūce. And not longe after there arose an other cōpany of dyuers nacions / y^• was called the whyte cōpany y^• which in y^• partyes of Lombardy dyd moche sorowe. ¶ The same yere syr Iohn of Gaunt the sone of king Edward y^• thyrde was made duke of Lancastre by reason and cause of his wyfe that was the doughter & heyre of Henry somtyme duke of Lancastre.