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 erle of kent and the erle Mortymer in Englande were put to deth. Cap. xxiii. (Book 23)

THis yong kyng Edwarde of Englande was gouerned a great space as ye haue harde before / by the coūsell of the quene his mo∣ther / and of Edmonde of Wodstoke erle of Kēt his vncle / and by sir Roger Mortymer erle of March. And at y^e last enuy began to growe by∣twene therle of Kent and therle Mortym̄. In so moch y^t this erle Mortim̄ enformed so the yong kyng / by the cōsentyng of tholde quene Isabell his mother / beryng y^e kyng in hande that therle of Kent wolde haue enpoysoned hym. To then∣tent to be kynge hymselfe / as he that was nexte heyre apparaunt to the crowne / for the kynges yonger brother who was called John̄ a Gaunt was newly deed. And than the kyng who gaue lyght credence to theym / causedde his vncle the erle of Kent to be taken and openly to be behee∣ded without any maner of excuse to be harde,

Wherwith many of y^• nobles of the realme wer sore troubled / and bare a gruge in their hertes towarde the erle Mortymer / and accordyng to thenglysshe cronycle. Therle suffred dethe atte Wynchester / the tenth day of Octobre: y^• thirde yere of the kynges raygne / and lyeth buryed at the friers in Winchestre. But as myne auctour sayeth: within a whyle after as it was reported quene Isabell the kyng•• mother was w^t chylde / and that by therle Mortymer. Wherof y^e kyng was enfourmed: & how the sayd Mortym̄ had caused him to put to deth therle of Kent his vn∣cle / without good reason or cause: for all the re∣alme reputed hym for a noble man. Thanne by the kynges commaundement / this erle Morty∣mer was taken̄e and brought to London. And there byfore the great lordes and nobles of the realme was recyted by open declaratyon: all y^e dedes of the sayd Mortymer. Than the kynge demaunded of his counsell what shuld be done with hym / and all the lordes by commen assent gaue iudgement. And sayed syr: he hath deser∣ued to dye the sa〈…〉〈…〉ethe that sir Hewe Spen∣ser dyed. And after this iudgement: there was no delacyon of sufferaunce nor mercy. But in∣cōtynent he was drawen throughout London / and than set on a scaffolde and his membres cut from hym / and cast into a fyre and his hert also: bycause he had ymagined treason. And thanne quartered: and his quarters sent to foure of the best cyties of the realme / and his heed remay∣ned styll in London. And within a lytle space af¦ter the kyng commaunded by thaduyce of his counsell / y^t the quene his mother shulde be kept close in a castell. And so it was dōe: and she had with her ladyes and damosels / knyghtes and squiers / to serue her acordyng to her estat. And certayne lādes assigned to her / to mētayne ther with her noble estat all dayes of her lyfe. But in no wyse she shulde nat de{per}t out of the castell w^t∣out it were tose suche sportes as was somtyme shewed byfore the castell gate / for her recreaty∣on. Thus this lady ledde forth her lyfe ther me¦kely / and ones or twyse a yere the kyng her son / wolde cōe and se her. Thenglysshe cronycle she¦weth dyuerse other consyderations / why therle Mortym̄ suffred deth the which was on saynt Andrewes euyn. In the yere of our lorde a thou¦sande thre hundred .xxix. The whiche I passe ouer and folowe myne authoure.