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 prouost of the marchan∣tes of Parys / caused walles to be made about the cytie of Pa∣rys. Cap. C .lxxxiii. (Book 183)

WHan the gentylmen of Beauuosyn / of Corboys / of Uermādoys / and of other lā¦des where as these / mysche∣uous peple were conuersant: sawe the woodnesse amonge them / they sent for socours to their trēdes into Flanders / to Brabant / to Hey∣nault / and to Behayne: so ther came fro all par∣ties. And so all these gentylmen strangers with them of the countrey assembled togyder: & dyde sette on these people wher they might fynde thē and slewe and hanged them vpon trees by hea∣pes. The kynge of Nauer on a day slewe of thē mo than thre thousande: besyde Cleremount in Beauuosyn. It was tyme to take them vp: for and they hadde ben all togyder assembled / they were mo than a hundred thousande: and whan they were demaunded why they dyd so yuell de¦des / they wolde answere and say they coude nat tell: but y^• they dyd as they sawe other do / thyn∣kyng therby to haue distroyed all y^• nobles and gētylmen of the worlde. In the same season the duke of Normandy departed fro Parys / and was in dout of the kynge of Nauer: and of the prouost of the marchauntes and of his sect: for they were all of one acorde. He rode to the brige of Charenton on the ryuer of Marne / and ther he made a great sommons of gentylmen & than defyed the prouost of the marchātes and all his ayders. Than the prouost was in dout of hym that he wolde in the nyght tyme come and ouer∣ron the cytie of Parys / the which as than was nat closed. Than he sette workemen a worke as many as he coude gette: and made great dykes

all about Parys / and began walles and gates: he had the space of one hole yere / a thre hundred workmen contynually workyng. It was a gret dede to furnvsshe an arme / and to close with de∣fence suche a cytie as Parys: surely it was the best dede that euer any prouost dyd ther / for els it had ben after dyuers tymes ouer ron and rob had by by dyners occasyons.