¶ Howe the prouost of the marchan∣tes of Parys slewe thre knyghtes in the regentes chambre. Cap. C .lxxix. (Book 179)
IN this season that the thre estates thus ruled: there rose in dyuers countrees cer¦tayne manere of people cal∣lyng themselfe companyons and they made warr to eue∣ry man. The noble men of y• realme of France and the prelates of holy chur∣che began to waxe wery of the rule and ordynā∣ce of the thre estates: and so gaue vp their rule / and suffred the prouost of the marchantes to me dyll with some of the burgesses of Parys / by∣cause they medled farther than̄e they were plea∣sed withall. So on a day the regent of Fraunce was in the palays of Parys / with many noble¦men and prelates with hym. The prouost than assembled a great nombre of commons of Pa∣rys / suche as were of his opynion / and all they ware hattes of one colour: to thnetent to be kno∣wen. The prouost came to the palays with his men about hym / and entred into the dukes chā∣bre: and ther egerly he desyred hym that he wol¦de take on hym the medlyng of the busynesse of the realme of France: that the realme the which pertayned to hym by enherytance might be bet∣ter kept / and that suche companyons as goeth a¦bout the realme wastyng / robbyng / and pyllin∣ge the same: myght be subdued. The duke an∣swered howe he wolde gladly entende therto yf he had wherwith: and said they that receyue the profet and the rightes pertayning to the realme ought to do it yf it be done or nat I report me. So they multiplyed suche wordes bytwene thē that thre of the greattest of the dukes counsayle were ther slayne so nere hym / that his clothes were all blody with their blode / and he himselfe in great peryll: but there was sette one of their hattes on his heed / and he was fayne there to {per}∣don