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.

¶ How kyng Edwarde toke on hym to bere the armes of Fraunce / and the name to be called kyng therof. Ca. xliii. (Book 43)

WHan that kynge Edwards was departed fro the flamengery and came into Brabāt / and went streight to Brussels. The duke of Guerles / the duke of Jullers / the marques of Blanqueboure / the erle of Mons / syr John̄ of Haynalt / the lorde of Faulquemōt / and all the lordes of thempyre suche as had ben at that iournay: brought hym thyder to take ad¦uyce & counsell what shulde be done more in the mater that they had be gone. And to haue expe∣dycion in the cause: they ordayned a parlyamēt to beholden at y^e towne of Brussels / and thyder to come was desyred Jaques Dartuell of Gaūt who came thyder with a great company / and al the counsels of the good townes of Flaunders. Ther the king of England was sore desyred of all his alyes of thempyre / that he shulde requyre thē of Flanders to ayde & to mentayne his warr and to defy the french kyng: and to go with him wher as he wolde haue them. And in their so do¦yng: he to promyse thē to recouer the Isle Do∣way / & Bethayne. This request was well hard of the slemynges / and therupon they desyred to take counsell among themselfe: and so they toke coūsell at good leaser / and than they sayd to the kyng. Syr or this tyme ye haue made to vs re∣quest in this behalfe: syr if we myght well doo this sauyng your honour / and to saue ourselfe / we wolde gladly do this. But syr we be bounde by faith and othe: and on the somme of two my: lyons of floreyns in the Popes chaumbre / that we may make nor moue no warre agaynst the kynge of Fraunce. Who soeuer it be: on payne to lese the sayd somme / and besyde that to ryn in the sentēce of cursyng. But syr if ye wyll take on you the armes of Fraūce / & quarter them with the armes of Englande & call yourselfe kyng of Fraunce / as ye ought to be of ryght. Than we woll take you for rightfull kyng of Fraūce / & de maūde of you quytāce of out bondes: & so ye to gyue vs {per}don therof as king of Frāce. By this meanes we shalbe assured & dyspēsed w^t all / & so thā we wyll go with you whyder soeuer ye wyll haue vs. Than the kyng toke coūsell for he tho∣ught it was a sore mat to take on hym y^e armes of France & the name / and as thā had cōquered nothing therof / nor coud nat tell what shuld fall therof / nor whyder he shuld cōquere it or nat: & on thother syde loth he was to refuse the confort and ayde of the stemynges / who myght do hym more ayde thā any other. So y^e kyng toke coun¦sell of the lords of thēpyre / & of the lorde Robert Dartoyse / & with other of his specyall frendes /

so that finally the good and the yuell wayed. He answered to the flemmynges / that if they wolde swere & seale to this accorde / and to promyse to mentayne his warre: howe he wolde do all this with a good wyll / and promysed to gette them agayne Lyle / Do way / & Bethayn: and all they answered howe they were content. Than there was a day assigned to mete at Gaunt / at which day the kynge was there / and the moost part of the sayd lordes and all the counsayls generally in Flaūders. And so than: all this sayd maters were rehersed / sworne / and sealed: and the king quartred the armes of Fraūce with Englande / And from thens forthe toke on hym the name of the kynge of Fraunce / and so contynued tyll he lefte it agayne by composicyo•• / as ye shall here after in this boke. And so at this counsayle they determyned that the next somer after / they wold make great warre into Fraunce: promysing to besiege the cytie of Tourney. Wherof the flem∣myng{is} were ioyfull / for thei thought to be strōg ynough to gete it / and that ones goten / they be leued shortly after to wynne agayne Lysse / Do way / and Bethayne: with thappurtenaūces 〈◊〉〈◊〉∣tayning or holden of therle of Flaūders. Thus euery man departed and went home: the kynge of Englande went to And warpe / and the quene abode styll at Gaunt / and was often tymes vy∣sited by Jaques Dartuell: and by other lordes ladyes / and damosels of Gaunt. The kyng left in Flaunders / therle of Salysbury / and therle of Suffolke. They went to Ipre and ther kept a great garyson / and made sore warre agaynst them of Lysse / and there about. And whan the kynges shyppes were redy he toke the see / and so sayled into Englande / and came to London about the feest of saynt Andrewe / where he was honourably receyued. And ther he had cōplayn tes made hym of the dystruction of Hampton / and he sayd that he trusted / or a yere lenger that it shulde be well reuenged.