Here begynneth the first volum of sir Iohan Froyssart of the cronycles of Englande, Fraunce, Spayne, Portyngale, Scotlande, Bretayne, Flau[n]ders: and other places adioynynge. Tra[n]slated out of frenche into our maternall englysshe tonge, by Iohan Bourchier knight lorde Berners: at the co[m]maundement of oure moost highe redouted souerayne lorde kyng Henry the. viii. kyng of Englande and of Fraunce, [and] highe defender of the christen faythe. [et]c.

¶ Howe the thre estates of France as∣sembled togyder at Parys / after the batayle of Poycters. Cap. C .lxx. (Book 170)

THe same seson that the batayle of Poicters was / the duke of Lancastre was in y^e coūtie of Eureux / and on the marches of Cōstantyne and with hym the lorde Philyp•• of Nauer / & the lorde God▪ sray of Harcort. They made warr in Norman¦dy: & had done all that season in the tytell of the kyng of Nauer / whom the french kyng helde in prison. These lordes dyd all that they might to haue ben at the iourney of Poyters with y^e prin¦ce but they coude nat: for all the passages on the ryuer of Loyre were so well kept / y^• they myght nat passe. But whan they herd howe the prince had taken the french kyng at the batayle of Po••¦ters they were gladde / and brake vp their iour∣ney: bycause the duke of Lancastre / & sir Phy¦lyppe of Nauer wolde go into Englande / and so they dyd and they sende sir Godfray of Har¦cort to saynt Sauyoursle vycont / to kepe ther fronter warre. Nowe let vs speke of the frenche kynges thresonnes: Charles / Loys / and John̄ who were returned fro the besynes at Poyters they were right yong of age and of counsell. In thē was but small recouery: nor ther was none of thē that wolde take on hym the gouernāce of the realme of France. Also the lordes knyghtes & squyers such as fledde fro the batayle / were so hated & blamed of the cōmons of y^e realme 〈…〉〈…〉 scant they durst abyde in any good towne. Th•• all the prelates of holy church beyng in France / bysshoppes / abbottes / and all other noble lord{is} and knyght{is}: and the {pro}uost of the marchātes y^e burgesses of Paris / & the coūsels of other gode townes. They all assembled at Parys: & there

they wolde ordayne howe the realme shulde be gouerned tyll the kynge were delyuered out of prison. Also they wold knowe fardet more what was become of the great treasure / that had ben leuyed in the realme: by deames / maltotes / sub¦sidyes forgyng of moneys / and in all other ex∣torcyons / wherby the people hath ben ouerlayd and troubled: and the soudyours yuell payed / and the realme yuell kept and defendedde. But of all this there were none that coulde gyue ac∣compt: than they agreed that the prelates shuld chose out twelfe persones amonge theym / who shulde haue power by theym and by all the cler∣gy: to ordayne and to aduyse all thynges coue∣nable to be done. And the lordes and knyghtes to chuse other twelfe among them / of their most sagest and dyscrete persones / to determyne all causes: And the burgesses to chose other twelfe for the commons. The whiche sire and thyrtie persons shulde often tymes mete at Parys / and they to common and to ordayne for all causes of the realme: and euery matter to be brought to theym: and to these thre estates all other prela∣tes / lordes / and cōmons shulde obey. So these persones were chosen out: but in the begynnin∣ge there were dyuerse in this clectyon / that the duke of Normādy was nat content withall / nor his counsayle. ¶ Firste these thre estates de∣fended euermore forgynge of money / also they requyred the duke of Normandy / that he wolde a rest the chaunceler of the kynge his father / the lorde Robert of Lorreys / and the lorde Robert of Bucy / and dyuers other maisters of the coū∣tes / and other counsaylours of the kynges: to the entent that they might make a trewe acount of that they had taken and leuyed in the realme and by their counsaylles. Whan these maisters and counsaylours herde of this mater / they de∣parted out of the realme into other countreis / to abyde there tyll they herde other tidynges.