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 frenche hostages that were in Englande: and of the purchas that the kynge of Ciper made for this croi¦sey. Cap. CC .xviii. (Book 218)

IN this season the kynge of Englande dyd grace to the iiii. frenche dukes that were there ihostage: that is to say the Duke of Orleaunce / the duke of Aniou / the duke of Berrey / & the duke of Bour¦bon. These lordes were at Calais / and y^t kyng was content that they shulde ryde aboute Ca∣lais by the space of .iiii. dayes where they lyste So that euer at y^• .iiii. dayes ende they to come agayne to Calais by sonne settynge. And thys the kynge of Englande dyd for a good entente bicause they shulde the rather (in France) pur∣chase for theyr delyueraunce. These .iiii. lordes thus beyng in Calais / sent messangers dyuers tymes to the frenche kynge / and to the duke of Normandy his eldest sonne / desyrynge them to entende to theyr delyueraunce / accordynge as they had promysed and sworne / whan they en∣tred into Englande / sayeng / els they wold take hede therto them selfe / for they thought theym¦self as no prisoners: & though that these lordes were right nere of lignage to the kynge / yet for all that theyr messangers were nat herde / nor delyuered to theyr pleasure / Wherwith these lordes were right sore displeased / and specially the duke of Aniou who sayd he wold right wel prouyde for a remedy. The frenche kynge and his counsaile / and the duke of Normandy wer sore besied / what for the voyage of the Croysey that he had taken vpon hym: and for the war∣res that the kynge of Nauarre made in the re∣alme / who had sent into Lombardy for certayn of the companyons to helpe hym in his warre. These were y^• causes / that they toke no regard to the lordes that laye in hostage / that is to say to the foresayde .iiii. dukes / nor to delyuer their messangers / Whan they came into Fraunce. And whan the kyng of Ciper had visited these lordes / and these sayd countreys / he rode so by his iourneys / that he came to Calais / where he founde .iii. of these sayd dukes / the duke of Or∣leaunce / the duke of Berrey / & the duke of Bour¦bon: the duke of Aniou was gone into Fraūce / I can nat tell in what estate. These .iii. dukes as prisoners receyued the kynge of Ciper into Calais right ioyously / and the kynge acquy∣ted hym to them right swetely: and so they wer there to guether .ii. dayes. Than the kynge of Cyper passed the see / and arryued at Douer / & there taried two dayes / and refresshed hym tyll all his cariage was vnshypped. Than he rode by smalle iourneys at his ease / tyll he came to London / and there he was honorably receyued and feasted / of the lordes of Fraunce that were there / and also by them of England / who were sent to mete with hym by the kynge of Englād as the erle of Herforde / syr Gaulter of Manny / the lorde Spenser / syr Rawoll Feryes / {ser} Guy∣shart of Pēnebruges / and {ser} Richard of Stury who accompanied and brought hym to his lod¦gyng in the cite of London. I can nat recoūt to you in a hole day the noble diners and suppers chere and feastes that was made to hym by the kynge of Englande / and the presentes / gyftes / and ieowels that was gyuen hym / and to say•• trouthe / he was well worthy to hauehit / for he was come thither fro farre with great expense to exhorte the kynge to take on hym the redde crosse / and to helpe to open the passage against goddes ennemies / but the kynge of Englande excused hym selfe graciously / and right sagely.

SO than agayne the kynge of Cyper re∣passed the see / and arryued at Boloyn & herde in his waye howe that the frenche kynge and the duke of Normandy / the lorde Philyp his yongest sonne / and great parte of his coun¦sayle shulde be at the good towne of Amyense / thither rode the kynge of Cyper / and there he founde the kynge / who was newly come thider and part of his counsaile / and there he was no∣bly receyued / and there recounted to them how he had spedde in all his voiage / the whiche they were glad to here. And whan the kynge of Cy∣per had ben there a certayn space of tyme: than he sayde / he tought he hadde nat yet no thynge done tyll he hadde seen the Prynce of Wales /

say enge that by the grace of god he Wolde go and sehym / and the lordes of Poictom and of Acquitayne. The frenche kynge accorded wel that he shulde so do / but he desired hym at his retourne / that he wolde come through Fraūce. And the kyng of Ciper promysed so ••o to. And thus he departed from Amience / and went to∣warde Beaunoyse / & passed the riuer of Seyn and at last came to Poicters. At that tyme the prince was at Angolesme / where as he shulde kepe a great feast / Justis / and tournay / of .xl. knyghtes / and as many squiers for the loue of the princesse / Who was brought to bedde of a faire sonne called Edwarde. And as soone as the prince knewe of the cōmynge of the kyng of Ciper / he sent to mete with hym / {ser} John̄ Chau¦dos / and a great nombre of other knyghtes & squiers of his house / Who brought hym With great ioye and reuerence to the prince / who re∣ceyued hym right honorably in all 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

NOwe let vs leaue a while to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the kynge of Ciper / and returne to the frē∣che kynge / and recount to what entencion he & his counsatle were come to amience. I was as than enfourmed / and true hit was that kynge Johst of Fraunce was inpourpos•• to go into Englande / to se kynge Edwarde his brother / & y^e quene his syster. And for that cause he had assembled there his counsaile / as at that tyme. & all they of his counsaile coude nat make hym to vary fro that pourpose: and yet they coun∣sa••••ed hym sore to the contrarie. Diuers prela∣tes and barones of Fraunce sayd howe he toke on hym a great foly / as to put hym selfe in the daunger of the Kynge of Englande: the kyng answered them and sayd: Syrs I haue foūde in the kynge of England my brother / and in y^• quene / and their children / so moche trouth and honour / that I can nat prayse them to moche. Wherfore I doubte me nothynge of them / but that they wyll be to me ryght courtesse and true frende in all cases. Also I wyll excuse my sonne the duke of Aniou of his returnyng into Frāce To his wordes there were none that durst say the contrarie / syth he was so determined ihym self. Than the kyng ordeyned agayne his son the duke of Norman dye to be regent and go∣uernour of the realme of Fraunce vntyll his re¦tourne agayne. And there he promysed to the lorde Philyp his yong son / that at his returne agayne / he wolde make hym duke of Borgoyn and heriter of that duchie. And whā all his pur¦ueyaunce was redy / accordynge to his entent and prouision at Bolloyn before hym / than he departed from Amience / and rode tyll he came to Hedyn / and there kept his Christmas daye / and thither came to se hym Loys erle of Flaun∣ders / & there the kyng taried a .ii. or .iii. dayes And on Innocētis day he departed fro Hedin.