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 duke of Berry & dyuers other that were in hostage in Englā∣de returned into Frāce. Ca. C Cxliiii. (Book 244)

SO agaynst this ferse āswere of the prince / the frēch kynge and his counsell {pro}uyded therfore pri¦uely. And in y^• same season retur¦ned into France out of England duke John̄ of Berry. The kyng of Englande gaue him leaue for a hole yere ▪ but he bare him¦selfe so wisely that he neuer retourned agayne / for he made suche excusacious & other meanes / that the warr was opyn / as ye shall herafter▪ al¦so lorde John̄ Harcort was retourned into his owne coūtre. The kyng of England gaue him leaue to de{per}te / at the instance of sir Loys Har∣cort his vncle / who was of Poyctou: & as than {per}teyning to the price / who fell sicke / the whiche was happy for hym. For his sickenes endured tyll the warr was newly begon: & so therby he neuer returned agayne into Englande. & Guy of Bloys / who was as than but a yong squyer and brother to therle of Bloys / was frāke and fre delyuerd out of England / for whan he {per}cey¦ued that the french kyng / for whōe he lay in ho∣stage dyd nothyng for his delyuerance. Than he fell in a treaty with the lorde of Coucy / who had wedded the doughter of the king of Englā¦de / & he had yerely a great reuenewe out of the kyng of England{is} cofers / bycause of his wyfe. And so ther was such a treaty bytwene y^• kyng of Englande & his son̄e in lawe / and sit Guy of Bloys: y^• by the coūsell of bothe bretherne / lord John̄ of Blois & sir Guy. & by the agrement of the frenche kyng: they clerely resigned into the kyng of England{is} handes / therldome of Soys¦sons / the which land the kyng of Englād gaue to his son in lawe the lord Coucy / for the which he dyd quyte hym of .iiii. M. ••i. of yerely reue∣newes. Thus this couenāt was made & engro¦sed / & sir Guy of Bloys delyuered. Also therle Peter of Alanson had leue of the kyng of Eng. to returne into Frāce for a space / wher he abod so long & founde so many excusacions y^t he ne∣uer returned after i hostage / howbeit I beleue that finally he payed .xxx. M. frākes for his a∣quytall. Also duke Loys of Burbone was hap¦py / who lay also in hostage in England / for by suche grace as the kynge of Engl. shewed him / he was returned into France / & whyle he was at Parys with the french kyng / the bysshop of Wynchestre discessed / who was as than chaū∣cellour of England. Than ther was a preest a¦bout y^• kyng of England called sir Wyllm̄ Wy∣can / who was so great with the kynge ▪ that all thyng was done by him / & without him nothin¦ge done, and so whan the bysshoprike of Wyn∣chestre was voyd: Than the kyng of Englāde by the desyre of the sayd preest / wrote to y^• duke of Burbone / that he wolde for his sake make su¦che sute to the holy father pope Urbane / y^• his chapelayne might haue y^• bysshoprike of Wyn∣chestre: promysing the duke in his so doyng / to entreat hym right curtesly for his prisoumēt of hostage. Whan the duke of Burbone sawe the kyng of England{is} messāgers and his letter ▪ he was therof right ioyouse: & shewed all the ma∣ter to the french kyng. Than the kyng coūsay∣led him to go to the pope for the same / and so he dyde. And departed & went to Auygnon to the pope / who was nat as than gone to Rome. & so the duke made his request to y^• pope / & he graū¦ted him / and gaue him the bysshoprike of Wyn¦chestre at his pleasure / & was content: so that y^• kyng of Englād wold be fauorable to him in y^• cōposycion for his delyuerance / that y^• foresayd Wy can shulde haue the sayd bysshoprike. And

than the duke of Burbone returned into Frāce and so into Englande / & there treated with the kyng & his coūsell for his delyuerāce / or he wol∣de shewe his bulles fro the pope. The kyng lo∣ued so well this preest that y^• duke of Burbone was delyuered quyte / & payed .xx. M. frankes. And so sir Wyllm̄ Wy can was bisshop of Wyn chester / & chancellour of Englande. Thus the lordes were delvuered that were hostag{is} in En¦gland. ¶ Now let vs returne to the warres of Gascoyne / the whiche began bycause of the ap∣pell that ye haue herde before.