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 kynges of Fraunce and of Cypre: toke on them the croysey a∣gaynst the mfydeles: and of the gret purchace for that entent that the kyn¦ge of Cypre made with many kyng{is} and princes in dyuers places of chri∣stendome. Cap. CC .xvii. (Book 217)

AS soone as sir Johan Chandos / who had alonge season gouerned the duchye of Acquitayne: herde howe the prince was comyng thy∣der. Than he departed fro Nyort & came with a good∣ly company of knyghtes and squyers to y^• tow¦ne of Rochell / wher he was well receyued with the prince and princes. And so the prince with great honoure and ioye was brought into the cytie of Poycters: and thyder came to se hym with great ioye / the barownes and knyghtes of Poy••tou & of Xaynton. and there they dyde to hym feaultie and homage / as they ought to do. And than he wente to Burdeaux and there taryed a long season and the princes with him / and thyder came to se hym the erles / vycoūtes / barownes / and knyghtes of Gascoyne: & there they were receyued right ioyously. And y^e prin¦ce acquyted hym selfe so nobly amonge theym / that euery man was well content. And the erle of Foyz came thyder to se the prince / who had great chere and feast: And there was a peace made bytwene hym and the erle of Armynake / the whiche a long space before made werr eche on other. And than anone after sir John̄ Chan¦dos was made constable of all the countrey of Guyene / and sir Guychart Dangle was made marshall. So thus the prince made suche kni∣ghtes of his house as he loued best great offy∣cers throughout the duchy of Acquitayne▪ and tylled all constableshyppes & bayl••wykes with englysshe knyghtes / who kept after great and puyssaunt astates: parauenture greatter than they of the countrey wolde they had done / but the matters wente nat at their ordynaunces.

¶ Nowe lette vs leaue to speke of the prince of wales and Acquitayne and of the princes / and speke of kynge Johan of Fraunce / who was as than at the newe towne without Auygnon.

ABout the tyme of candelmasse the yere of our lorde / a thousande thre hundred 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Kyng Peter of Cypre came to Auygnon / of whose comynge the hole courte was greatly reioysed and dyuers cardynalles went to mete hym / and brought hym to the paleys to y^e pope Urbayne / who ryght ioyously receyued hym. And also so dyde the frenche kynge / who was

there present. And whan they ha••••e 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••o g••∣ther a certayne tyme / and taken wyne and spi∣ces / the two kynges departed fro the pope / and eche of them went to theyr owne lodgyng. And y^e same season there was a wage of ••atell before the frenche kyng / bitwene two noble and expert knyghtes / syr Aymon of Pommters / and syr Fouques of Archiac. and whā they had fought sufficiently / than the frenche kynge treated for a peace / and accorded them to gether. And so all the lente season / these two kynges ••aryed there about Auignon / and often tymes they visited the pope / who receyued them right ••••y••usly.

ANd often tymes whan the kynge of Ci∣per was with the pope (the freche kyng beyng present and the cardinalles) he declared to them / howe that for all Christedome it shuld be a noble and a worthy thyng to open the pas∣sage ouer the see / and to go agaynst y^• enemyes of the Christen fayth. The whiche wordes the frenche kynge gladly herde / and pourposed in hym selfe (if he myght lyue .iii. yere) to go thi∣ther for two causes that moued hym therto / the fyrste bicause his father kynge Philyp had a∣uowed so to do: and secondly to the entent ther∣by to drawe out of his realme all maner of men of warre / called companyous / who ••ylled and robbed his countrey withoute any title / and to saue theyr soules. This pourpose and entente the frenche kyng reserued to hym selfe without any worde spekyng therof / vntyll good fryday that pope Urban hym selfe preched in his cha∣pell at Auignon / beynge present both kynges / and the hole College of cardinalles. After that holy predicacion / the whiche was right humble and moche deuoute. The frēche kynge by great deuocion toke on hym the Croysey and swet••h•• requyred of the pope to accord and to consyrme his voyage: and the pope lygh••ly agreed ther∣to: and so the kynge toke it / and ••oith hym syr Calleran cardinall of Pierregourt / the erle of Artoise / the erle of Ewe / the erle Dampmartyn the erle of Tankeruille / syr Arnolde Dandre∣hen / the great priour of France / syr Boucequāt & dyuerse other knyghtes there present. And of this enterprise the kynge o•• Cyper was ryght ioyouse: and thanked ryght hartely our lorde therof / and reputed hit for a great syngular meryte.

THus as ye maye se and here the frenche kynge and the sayd / lordes toke on them ••o weare aboue all theyr garmentes the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••rosse: and our holy father the pope 〈…〉〈…〉 this voyage / and caused it to be preched in dy∣uerse places. I shall she we you howe the kyng of Cyper / who was come thither to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and moue this voyage / had great 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to go and se the Emperour and all the hyghe baroues of the Empyre / & so into Englande to se the kyng there / and so to all the other great lordes of ••••••∣••••en••ome. And thus as he purposed so he dyd / as ye shall here after in this history. Our holi∣father the pope / and the frenche kynge offered and promysed hym theyr bodyes goodes / and substances / to furnysshe this voyage and gaue hym full power to publysshe the grace and par∣don of this holy voyage / therby to cause all lor∣des and prynces the rather to enclyne to thys holy voyage. And so this kynge was so well beloued for the reasons that he shewed / and for the fayre language that he vttered to the lordes of this voyage / that they had rather haue herd hym than any other predicacion. and so on this poynt they re••••ed. Anone after easter / the yere of our lorde. M. CCC .lxiii. the kynge of Cy∣per departed fro Auignon / and sayd he wolde go and se the emperour / and lordes of the Em∣pyre / and promysed to returne agayne by Bra∣bant / Flaunders / and Haynault / and so he toke leaue of the pope / and of the frenche kynge who in all cases acquyted them ryght well to ward hym / and gaue hym many fayre gy••t{is} and •••••• wels / and pardons that y^e pope gaue to hym / & to all his men. And anone after the departyn•• of the kynge of Cyper / the frenche kynge toke leaue of the pope / & went to the towne of Mo•••• pell••••er / to visite Languedor / where he had 〈◊〉〈◊〉 been of a longe space before.

NO we let vs speke of the kynge of Cy•• and of the voiage 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he made He rode so longe by his ••ourne•••• / that he came into almayn into the cite of Pragne / and there he foūde the / emperour of Almayne syr Charles of Be∣haigne / who receyued hym graciously and all the lordes of the Empyre that were there pre∣sent. And the kynge of Cyper taryed there a thre wykes / and exhorted greatly theym of the Empyre to this holy voyage: and in euery pla∣ce where he passed through Almayne the Em∣perour payde for hys Costes. Than the kynge of Cyper wente into the duchye of Jullyers / where the Duke made hym ryght great feast and ••here: and tha•• from thense he went in to 〈…〉〈…〉ante: where also the Duke and duchess••

receyued hym with great honour in the towne of Bruzels with diuers suppers / Justis / tour∣nays / & other pastymes of honor / as they coude ryght well do hit: and at his departynge they gaue hym great gyftes and ieowels. And than he went into Flanders to se the erle Loys. who in like wyse dyd greatly feast and honour hym and specially at Brug{is}: and dyd so moche that the kynge Was Well contente with hym: And there he taryed that somer / alwayes exhortyng euery man to this holy voyage: Wherof dy∣uerse lordes had great ioy and desire to do it.