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 alyences that the kynge of Nauer made with the kynge of En∣glande / and howe the frenche kynge had men of warre in dyuers places. Cap. CCC .xxix. (Book 329)

ALytell before his de{per}∣tyng / the frenche kynge had the kyng of Nauer in great hate / and knewe couertly by some of the king of Nauers house / all the secremesse by∣twene hym and the kyng of Englande: and howe that kyng Henry of Ca∣stell had defyed him / and made warre agaynst him. The kyng of Nauer left at his de{per}tynge behynde him / y^e vycont of Chastellon / the lorde of Lestrade father to Uyen / and the Bascle: & great nombre of men of warr / aswell of his coū¦tre as of the countie of Foiz / to kepe the frōters agaynst the spanyerdes. ¶ And whan he was in the see he hadde wynde at wyll / and arryued in Cornwall / and so rode to Wynsore / Where as kynge Richarde and his counsayle were / who receyued hym with great ioye / for they thought the better to spede of his lande in Normandy: & specially of the castell of Chier∣bour•• / wherof thenglysshmen desyred greatly to be lordes. The kyng of Nauer shewed sage¦lye to the kyng of Englande the cause of his cō∣mynge

/ and he was well herde and so well con∣forted / that he was content. I shall shewe you howe this treatie went bytwene these two kyn∣ges. One thyng there was: the kynge of Na∣uer shulde fro thens for the alwayes be true en∣glysshe / and shulde neuer make peace with the realme of Fraunce / nor with the kynge of Ca∣stell / without the knowledge and consent of the kyng of Englande. And if the kyng of Englan¦de or any of his men by their puyssance / coude gette any townes or castelles that the kynge of Nauer ought to haue in Normandy agaynst the frenchmen / that the same townes or castels shulde abyde for euer to be englysshe / the soue∣rayntie euer reserued to the kynge of Nauerr. The whiche thynge the englysshmen praysed moche / bycause they thought by that meanes they shulde haue asayre entre into Fraūce tho∣rough Normandy. And the kyng of England shulde sende the same tyme a thousand speares and two thousande archers by the ryuer of Gy¦ronde to Burdeur / or to Bayone: and the men of armes to entre in to Nauerr / and to make warre agaynst the kyng of Castell. And nat to departe fro the kyng of Nauer or out of his re¦alme / tyll he hadde made an ende of his warre with the spanyerdes. And the men of warre so ones entred in to Nauer: the kynge of Nauer than to pay them their wages / and to stuffe thē sufficiently / acordyng: after the same rate that the kynge of Englande was wonte to paye his men of warre. Dyuers treaties and alya••nces were there made and ordayned: and also writ∣ten / sealed / and sworne to be kept / on bothe par¦tes. And there were named suche as shulde go in to Normandy / and suche as shulde go in to Nauer. And bycause that the duke of Lācastre and the erle of Cābridge were nat at this trea∣tie / it was ordayned that this treatie shulde be sent to them sealed / to then tent that they shulde make hast to entre into Normandy. The duke of Bretayne was present at this treatie.

RIng Charles of Frāce / who was right sage and subtell: and soo he well shewed hymselfe as longe as he lyued. He was well enfourmed of the armye of Englande / yet he knewe no certētie but by suspecte / whyder they wolde drawe in to Normandy or els into Bre∣tayne. And for dout therof / he helde many men of armes in Bretayne / wherof the lorde Clys∣son / the lorde de Lauall / the vycount of Rohan the lorde of Beaumanoyre / & the lorde of Roch¦fort were capitayns. And had besieged Breest by bastydes / and none otherwyse: wherefore they might vitayle Brest whan they lyst. And in the rowne was capitayne / a valyant squye•• of Englande / called James Clerke. And by∣cause the frenche kyng knewe well that the kyn¦ge of Nauerr was alyed with Englande / and thought surely that or his returne / he wolde en¦tre in to some treatie with his aduersary y^• kyn of Englande. And douted of this armye thus on the see / lest they shuld take lande in Normā¦dy / and entre into the castelles parteyninge to the kyng of Nauer. Therfore he sent hastely to the lorde Coucy and to the lorde de la Ryuerr / that they shulde as shortely as they coulde / get by fayrnesse or by foulnesse / suche castelles as were belongynge to the kynge of Nauer / and specially suche as were nere to the seesyde. Ne knewe well that Chyerbourge wolde nat case∣lye be wonne / how be it by lande they coude nat ••euitayle it nor refresshe it with men / out of the basse marches of Bretayne and of Normandy And so for the bretons sir Olyuer Clysson was capitayne / and for the normayns / sir Diuoye and sir Percyuall.