Here begynneth the thirde and fourthe boke of sir Iohn̄ Froissart of the cronycles of Englande, Fraunce, Spaygne, Portyngale, Scotlande, Bretayne, Flaunders, and other places adioynyng, translated out of Frenche in to englysshe by Iohan Bourchier knyght lorde Berners, deputie generall of ye kynges towne of Calais and marchesse of the same, at the co[m]maundement of our most highe redouted souerayne lorde kyng Henry the eyght, kynge of Englande and of Fraüce [sic] [and] highe defender of the Christen faithe. [et]c

¶Howe the duke of Bretaygne en∣tred in to Parys / and came to the ca∣stell of Loure to the Frenche kynge. Cap. C.xxxii. (Book 132)

WHan the duke of Bre∣tayne aproched nere to Pa¦rys / he rested one nyght at the quenes Bourge / and the nexte daye he entred in to Paris. great lokyng for hym was in Paris / bycau∣se he had before putte in daunger the Consta¦ble of Fraunce / and had ben sente for dyuers tymes and wolde neuer come tyll than. Men spake therof dyuersly / and on a sondaye be∣ynge Mydsomer daye at tenne of the clocke afore noone / the duke of Bretaygne entred / the yere of our lorde god a thousande thre hū¦dred fourscore and eight in to Parys / at hell gate / and passed a long the strete of y^e Harpe /

and ouer the bridge saynt Michell / and so be¦fore the palais well accompanyed with lor∣des and knyghtes. There was sir Wyllyam of Heynaulre erle of Ostrenaunt / & his faire brother Iohan of Burgoyne / and before him roode sir Wyllyam of Namure. Thus he came to the Castelle of Loure / and there a∣lyghted / as he rode throughe the stretes / he was greatelye regarded of the common peo∣ple / And whan the duke was a lyghted and entred in at the gate / he remembred what he shulde do and saye. And before hym was the lorde of Coucy / the erle of Sauoy / sir Iohn̄ of Vyen / sir Guye de la Tremoyle. sir Iohn̄ of Vernayle / the erle of Meauir / sir Iohan of Voye / sir Iohan of Barres / and nere to hym was sir Wyllyam of Namure / Iohan of Burgoyne / and the erle of Ostrenaunte. And behynde hym the lorde Mountforde of Bretayne and the lorde of Malestroyt / they were of his kynne and priuy coūsayle. there was great preace to se hym and the halle but lytell / and the boordes were couered for the kynge to go to dyner. And the kynge stoode there redy before the table and his .iii. vncles besyde hym / dukes of Berrey / of Burgoyne and of Burbone. As soone as the duke was entred euery man made place / so that y^e duke myght se the kynge. Firste he made one cur∣tesy and so passed forthe a renne or .xii. paces Than he made the seconde curtesy and rose a¦gayne / and so passed forthe tyll he came be∣fore the kynge: Than the thirde tyme he kne¦led downe bare heeded and saluted the kyng and sayd. Sir / I am come to se your grace / god maynteyne youre prosperyte. I thanke you sir quod the kyng / and we haue great de¦syre to se you: We shall se and speke with you at more leysar / and therwith toke hym vp by the armes. Than the duke enclyned hym self to all the other princes eche after other. than he stode styll before the kynge without spe∣kynge of any worde. The kyng sore behelde hym. Thanne the Stewardes and offycers came forthe with water and y^e kyng wasshed and the duke of Bretaygne putte his hande to the bason and to the towell. And whan the kyng was sette the duke toke his leaue of the kyng and of his vncles. and the lorde of Cou¦cy and the erle of saynt Poule with other lor¦des conueyed hym in to the court where his horses were. and there mounted and so retur¦ned to his lodgynge in the strete of y^t Harpe / and none taryed with hym of them that con∣ueyed hym / but suche as came with hym out of Bretaygne to Parys.

AFter all this the duke of Bretaygne spake at leysar with the kynge & his vncles / so that euery man was well contente with hym / and he tooke well euery thynge that had ben promysed to hym / for he sawe nouther the constable nor Iohn̄ of Bre∣tayne. Whan y^e lordes sawe that euery thyng was in good state / and that they neded nat to doute the duke of Bretaygne / seynge they had hym at Paris (for they thought he shul∣de nat departe thens tyll he had done in ma∣ner / euery thyng as the kynge wolde) than it was thought good tyme to ordeyne forth for the voyage in to Guerles (whyder the kyng had great affection to go) to subdue the duke of Guerles / who had so shamfully defied the kyng (the whiche cōsydred) was nat thoght good to be suffred. Than it was ordayned / that the lorde of Coucy shulde drawe to the marches of Rennes and Chalous in Cham∣payn / and to regarde for the kynges passage that waye / and to moue the knyghtes & squy∣ers in Bare and in Lorayne to go with him / whyder he wolde lede them / nat spekynge of the kyng / but bearyng them in hande that he wolde go to recouer his ryght in Austryche. The lorde of Coucy thus departed fro Pa∣rys / and wente to Chalous in Champayne / and there taryed a moneth and retaygned on all partes knyghtes and squyers ī Bare and in Lorayne / in Champaygne / and in Rethe∣loys. And the Frēche kyng departed fro Pa∣rys whan he had cōmuned with the duke of Bretaygne of dyuers maters (and nat fully accomplysshed) For the sute in the courte of Fraunce is longe whan they lyste / and right well they canne foode forthe the people to ma¦ke theym spende moche / and bringe lytell to effecte. The kynge came to Moustreau on faulte you / in the marchesse of Brie and Ga∣stenoys / and there he helde his courte / and of ten tymes chased hartes and other wylde bee¦stes in the forest of Brie. The same seasone there was a dede of armes done there / bitwe∣ne an Englisshe knight who was there with the duke of Irelande / called sir Thom̄s Har¦pyngham /

and sir Iohan of Barres / wherof great brute was made in Fraunce and other places. Their chalenge was / fyue courses with a speare / fyue strokes with the sworde / fyue with a daggar / and fyue with the axe: and if any of their weapons brake than they to gette newe / tyll their chalenge were accō∣plysshed. These two knyghtes on a day lept on their horses well armed / as appertayned (The kynge and all other lordes beyng pre∣sent and moche people) and ranne toguyder foure courses ryght valiauntly (and as me thought the vsage was than̄e / their Helmes were tyed but with a lace / to the entente the speare shulde take no holde). the fyrst course sir Iohan of Barres strake the Englysshe knyght on the targe / in suche wyse / that he bare hym ouer the horse crope / so that he laye stonyed on the grounde / and moche payne to releue. Than they perfourmed forthe all the reste of their chalenge / in so goodly maner / that the kyng and all the other were well cō∣tent with them. ∴ ∴