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 Phylypp̄ of Ualoys was crowned kyng of Fraunce. Cap. xxi. (Book 21)

Kyng Charles of Fraunce sōne to the fayre kyng Phylyp was .iii. tymes maried / and yet dyed with∣out issue male. The first of his wy∣ues was one of the most fayrest la∣dyes in all the world / & she was doughter to the erle of Artoys. Howe be it she kept but euyll the sacramēt of matrimony / but brake her wedloke Wherfore she was kept a long space in pryson / in the castell Gaylarde / before that her husband was made kyng. And whan the realme of Frā∣ce was fallen to hym / he was crowned by the as¦sent of the .xii. dowsepiers of Fraunce / and thā bicause they wold nat that the realme of Frāce shulde belong without an heyre male / they ad∣uysed by their counsell / that the kyng shulde be remaryed agayne and so he was to the dough∣ter of the Emperour Henry of Lucenbourg su∣ster to the gentle kyng of Bayhaigne / Wherby the first mariage of the kyng was fordoone by∣twene hym and his wyfe that was in prison by the licēce and declaracyon of y^e pope / that was than / and by his .ii. wyfe / who was ryght hum∣ble / and a noble wyse lady. the kyng had a sōne / who dyed in his yong age / and the quene also / at Issodnii in Berrey. And they both dyed sus∣peciously. Wherfore dyuers parsones were put to blame after priuely. And after this the same kyng Charles was maried agayn the .iii. tyme to the doughter of his vncle / y^e lorde Loyes erle of Dewreux / and she was suster to the kyng of Nauerre / and was named quene Johan. And so in tyme and space this lady was with childe / and in the meane tyme / the kyng Charles her husband fell sycke / and lay downe on his dethe bedde. And whan he sawe there Was no waye with hym but deth / he deuised that if it fortuned the quene to be delyuered of a sonne. Than he wolde that the lorde Phylyp of Ualoys shulde be his gouernour / and regent of all hys realme tyll his sonne come to suche age as he myght be crowned kyng. and if it fortune y^e quene to haue a doughter / than he wold that all the .xii. piers of Fraunce shulde take aduyse and counsell for the forther ordering of the realme / and that they shuld gyue the realme / and regally to hym that

had moost ryght therto. And so within a whyle after y^e kynge Charles dyed about Ester / in the yere of our lorde .M. CCC .xxviii. And with∣in a short space after the quene was delyuerd of a doughter. Than all the peres of Fraunce assē¦bled a counsell togyder at Parys as shortly as they might conueniently / and there they gaue y^e realme by cōmen acorde to sir Phylippe of Ua∣loys: and put clene out the quene Isabell of En¦glande / and kynge Edwarde her sonne / for she was suster germayne to king Charles last deed but the opynion of the nobles of Fraunce was / and sayed and maynteyned: that the realme of Fraunce was of so great nobles / that it ought nat by successyon to fall into a womans hande. And so thus they crowned kyng of France Phi¦lypp̄ Ualoys at Raygnes / on Trinyte sonday next after. And anone after he somoned all his barownes and men of war••. And went withall his power to the towne of Cassell and layd ••••eg therto / in makyng war•• agaynst the ••••emmyn∣ges / who rebelledde agaynst their owne lorde. And namely they of Bruges / of Ippre / and of Franke: for they wolde nat obey therle of Flaū∣ders. But they had chased hym out of his owne countrey / so that he might nat abyde in no par∣tie therof / but onely in Gaunt / and scantly ther. These flēmynges were a .xvi. thousande / and had a capytayne called Colen ••ānequyn a har¦dy man and a couragious. And they had made their grayson at Cassell / at y^• wages of dyuerse townes in Flaunders. To thentent to kepe the fronters there about / but ye shall here howe the flemmynges were dysconfeted / and all by their owne outrage.