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 dyuers notable men of Pa∣ris were beheeded with mayster Jo∣han Marettes at Parys / & in dyuers other townes of Fraunce: and of the warr̄ of the gaūtoise that was newe begon agayne. Cap. CCCC .xxvii. (Book 427)

THere were also diuers taken and put in prison and many drowned. and than to apease the remynant / there was a crye made in the cyte / that none on payne of dethe shuld do any hurt to any pa¦risyen / nor ro〈…〉〈…〉 nor take any thynge out of any house / without payeng therfore. This cry apeased greatly them of the cyte. Howe be it on a day / there were dyuers persones ledde out of the castell iudged to dye for their defaul{is} / & for styrring vp of the comons. Howbeit there was great marueyle made of mayster Johan Ma∣rettes / who was reputed and renoumed a sage and a notable man. Some said he had wrong to be iudged to dye / for he had alwayes bene a man of great wysedome and good counsayle. And was one of the moost autētyke men of the court of parlyamēt: and had serued kyng Phi∣lyppe / kyng Johan / and kynge Charles: and was neuer founde in no defaute. Howe be it he was than iudged to be beheeded and a .xii. in his company. And as he was caryed on a cha∣ret to the place of execusion. He spake and sayd Where be they that hath iudged me to dye? Let them come forthe & shewe the cause why. Thus he preached to the people as he went to his exe∣cusyon. The people had great pyte on him / but they durst speke no worde. He was brought to the markette place of the halles / and there first were beheeded / suche as were brought thyder with hym. There was one called Nicholas fla¦mant a draper / and ther was offred to saue his lyfe / threscore thousande frankes / but it wolde nat be taken / but there he dyed. And whan they came to mayster Johan Marettes / they sayde to hym. Mayster Johan / crye mercy to y^e king to forgyue you your mysdedes. Than he tour∣ned hym and sayde. I haue serued kyng Phy∣lyppe his great graunt father / kynge Johan / and kynge Charles his father / well and true∣lye. These thre neuer layed any thynge to my charge / nor no more the kyng y^• nowe is wolde haue done / and he had bene at his full age / and

of mānes knowledge. I beleue in the iudgyng of me / he is nothyng culpable. I haue nothyng to do to crye hym mercy / but I crye god mercy and none other: I requyre hym humbly to for∣gyue me my misded{is}. And so than he toke leaue of the people / so that many wept for hym. After this maner dyed mayster Johan Marettes.

iN lykewise in the towne of Rohan to mayster the towne / ther were dyuers putte to dethe and raunsomed. Also at Reynes / at Chaalons / at Troyes / at Sence / and at Orlyaunce. These townes were taxed at great sommes of florens / bycause at the be∣gynninge they disobeyed the kyng. Ther was gadered in the realme of Fraunce suche a sōme of florens / that it was marueyle to speke ther∣of. And all went to the profyte of y^e duke of Ber¦rey and of the duke of Burgoyne / for the yong kynge was in their gouernaunce. And to saye the trouthe / the Constable of Fraunce and the marshalles / had a great parte to paye the men of armes / that had serued the kynge in his vy∣age in to Flaunders. And the erle of Bloys / the erle of Marche / the erle of Ewe / therle of saynt Poule / the erle of Harcourt / the erle Dolphyn of Auuergne. The lorde of Coucy and the gret barons of Fraunce / were assigned to be payed on suche tares as shulde be payed in their coun¦treis / for suche seruyce as they had done to the kyng in Flaunders: and they to pay their com∣pany. Of these assignacyons / I canne nat tell howe the lordes were payed / for incontynent after: newe taylles were ceassed in their coun∣treis for the kynge. And so before all other / the kynges taxe shulde be payed and executed / and the lordes dueties putte abacke.

yE haue herde before: howe whan̄e the kyng de{per}ted fro Courtrey / the towne of Gaunte abode styll in warre / as it was before. And capitayns of Gaunte at that tyme / were Peter de Boyse / Peter de Myrt / & Fraunces Atreman. And so they renewed the towne with newe soudyers / that came to them fro dyuerscountreis / and they were nothynge abasshed to make warre / but as fresshe and as quycke as euer they were. And the capitaynes of Gaunt / vnderstode that ther were certayne bretons and burgonyōs in the towne of Dar∣denbourge: They determyned to go thyder to loke on them. And so Fraunces. Atreman de{per}∣ted fro Gaunt with thre thousande men / and so came to Dardēbourge / and ther made a great scrimysshe. And finally the gauntoyse wan the towne / but y^e cost many of their lyues / for there were a two hundred of his men slayne / and the towne was robbed and pylled / and the moost parte therof brent. And so than they retourned to Gaunt with their boty and conquest / & were receyued with great ioye. And anon after they went to the cytie of Dabes and to Teremonde iuste to And warpe / and pylled and robbed all the countrey.