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.

¶ Of the beginnyng of the rysing of the commons / called Jaquere in Beauuosyn. Cap. C .lxxxii. (Book 182)

ANone after the delyue∣raunce of the kyng of Nauer ther began a meruelouse try∣bulacion in the realme of Frā¦ce / as in Beauuosyn / in Bry / on the ryuer of Marne / in Le¦amoys / and about Seossons: for certayne peo∣ple of the common vyllages without any heed or ruler / assembled togyder in Beauuosyn. In the beginnyng they past nat a hundred in nom∣bre: they sayd howe the noble men of the realme of Fraunce / knyghtes and squyers shamed the realme / and that it shulde be a great welth to dy¦stroy them all / and eche of them sayd it was true

and said all with one voyce / shame haue he that dothe nat his power to distroy all the gētylmen of the realme. Thus they gathered togyder w^t∣out any other counsayle & without any armure•• sauyng with staues and knyues / and so went to the house of a knyght dwellyng therby / & brake vp his house and slewe the knyght and the lady and all his chyldren great and small / and brent his house. And than they went to another castel and toke the knight therof and bounde hym fall to a stake: and than vyolated his wyfe and his doughter before his face / and than slewe the 〈…〉〈…〉∣dy and his doughter / and all his other chyldren And than slewe the knyght by great tourment / and brent & beate downe the castell: and so they dyd to dyuers other castelles and good houses: and they multiplyed so that they were a six thou¦sand / and euer as they went forwarde they encre¦ased / for suche lyke as they were / fell euer to thē. So that euery gentylman fledde fro them and tooke their wyues and chyldren with them / and fledde .x. or .xx. leages of to be in suretie / and left their houses voyde and their goodes therin. These myscheuous peple thus assembled with∣out capitayne or armoure: robbed / brent / and slewe all gentylmen that they coude lay handes on: and forced and rauysshed ladyes and damo¦sels / and dyd suche shamefull dedes that no hu∣mayne creature ought to thynke on any suche. And he that dyd moost myschiefe was most pre∣ased with theym and greattest maister: I dare nat write the horryble dedes that they dyd to la∣dyes and damoselles. Amonge other they slewe a knight and after dyd put hym on a broche and rosted hym at the fyre: in y^• syght of the lady his wyfe and his chyldren / and after y^t the lady had ben enforced and rauisshed with a .x. or .xii. thei made her perforce to eate of her husband / and af¦ter made her to dy an yuell deth and all her chyl¦dren. They made among them a kynge / one of Cleremont in Beauuosyn: they chose hym that was moost vngracyoust of all other / and they called hym kyng Jaques Goodman: & so ther∣by they were called companyons of the Jaque∣ry. They distroyed and brent in the countrey of Beauuosyn / about Corby / Amyense / and Mōt dydier / mo than threscore good houses & strong castelles. In lyke maner these vnhappy people were in Bry and Arthoyes: so that all the lady∣es / knyghtes / and squyers of that contrey were fayne to flye away: to Meaulx in Bry / aswell the duches of Normandy and the duches of Or¦lyaunce: as dyuers other ladyes and damosels / orels they had ben vyolated and after murdred. Also ther were a certayne of the same vngracy∣ous peple bytwene Parys and Noyon / and by¦twene Parys and Soyssons: and all about in the lande of Coucy / in the countie of Ualoys / by¦twene Brieche and Loan: Noyon and Soys∣sons. There were brent and distroyed mo than a hundred castelles and good houses / of knygh∣tes and squyers in that countrey.