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

¶Of the complayntes made to the kyng by the people of Languedoc in the towne of Besyers / agaynst Be∣tysach treasourer to the duke of Ber¦rey of the great extorsyons that he had made / and of the confession that he made / and of the cruell dethe that he had in the sayde towne. Cap. C.lxiii. (Book 163)

THre dayes the kynge was at Besyets in greate ioye and reuell amonge la∣dyes and damosels / and all that tyme Betysache was nothynge spoken vnto / but the enquisirours who we•• ordeyned by the kynge / dyd secretly enquyre of his dedes / and they founde by enquest dy∣uers cases horryble / nat to be pardoned. The fourth day that the kynge had ben there / this Betysache was called before the kynges coun¦sayle in a chambre / and there straytely examy¦ned / and it was sayd to hym. Betysache / aun∣swer wysely to these writynges that ye se here. There was shewed hym a greate nombre of bylles of complayntes that were put vp to the kynge agaynst hym / makyng mensyon of the errorcyons that he had done to the people. All these bylles of complayntes were redde before hym one after another. To some he aunswe∣red wysely / makynge his excuse / and to some he playnly denyed them and sayde. I knowe nothynge of those maters / laye them to the se∣neschalles of Beaucayr and of Carcassone / and to the chauncellour of Berry / it partay∣neth to theym to aunswere to those matters. Howe be it fynally it was shewed him that he muste kepe prysone for a tyme / tyll the mater were better examyned. He obeyed bycause he myght nat chuse. As sone as he was in prison the inquysitours wente to his lodgynge / and toke into their handes all suche writyng{is} and acomptes as they founde there / whiche par∣tayned to such maters as he had intermedled with all before / and they auewed them at ley∣sure / and founde in theym the rekenynges of great sōmes of money / suche as had ben ray∣sed and leuyed of the people. Than he was de¦maunded

where all that money was become and whether the sommes were trewe or nat / he aunswered and sayde / as for the sōmes are trewe / and the money delyuered to the duke of Berrey / and so paste throughe his handes and his treasourers / whereof I haue good quyttaunces in my lodgynge in suche a place / the whiche quitaūces were sente for before the counsayle and there they were redde / and they agreed with the sōmes of his receyte. Than the counsayle and the enquysytours were a∣peased / and Betysache sente agayne to a cur∣tesse prysone. Than the counsayle cōmuned togyther on that matter / and sayd. It semeth that Betysache is clere of suche causes as are layde to his charge / for the money that hathe been reysed / the duke of Berrey hathe had it / howe so euer it hath ben spente.

ALl thinges consydred / Betysache ex∣cusacyons were lawfull / for the duke of Berrey was the moste couetouse man in all the worlde / so he myght gette good he cared nat where nor howe he hadde it / and whan he had it he wolde bestowe it but sym∣ply / as many lordes do and haue doone in ty∣mes paste. Thus the kynges counsayle sawe no faute in Betysache / wherby he shulde lese his lyfe. some were of that opynyon and some contrary / & said. Betysach hath done so many cruell dedes / and hathe so sore inpouerysshed the people / for to acomplysshe the desyre of his lorde the duke of Berrey / that the blode of the poore people cryeth out / and sayeth / howe he hathe deserued dethe. For he that is a manne borne of these partyes / and counsayler with his maister / and seynge the pouerty of the peo¦ple / he ought in good maner to haue shewed the trouth to the duke his mayster / and if the duke wolde nat haue herde hym / than he shul∣de haue come to the kynge / and to his coun∣sayle / and haue shewed theym the pouertie of the people / and howe the duke of Berrey had daulte with them / than he had ben well excu∣sed. So Betysache was sente for agayne to the counsayle / and straytely examyned where the money that hadde been gathered was be∣come / for they founde the sōme of thyrty hun∣dred thousande frankes receyued. He answe∣red therto and sayd. My lordes / it were herde for me to tell where my lorde the duke of Ber∣rey hathe bestowed it. Moche he hath layde out on byldynges and reparacyons of castels and houses / also he hath bought certayne lan∣des in the countye of Boloygne / and in the Countye of Estampes. Also he hathe spente moche in byenge of precyous stones and ie∣welles / the whiche ye knowe well he hathe al∣wayes been desyrous to bye. Also he is well stuffed to mayntayne the astate that he hathe alwayes kepte. Also he hath gyuen suche gyf∣tes and rewardes to Thybaulte and Mory∣not / and to his seruaūtes aboute him / in suche wyse that they be ryche men. Well Betysache quod they of the counsayle / and ye haue had for your parte to your synguler profyte a hun¦dred thousande frankes. My lordes quod he that I haue hadde was by the consente of my lorde the Duke of Berrey / for he wolde that his seruauntes shulde become ryche. Than the counsayle sayde all with one voyce. A Be∣tysach that worde is folysshly spoken / that ry∣chesse is nat good nor resonable that is yuell gotten / ye shall retourne agayne in to prison / and we shall take further aduyse / on that ye haue sayd and spoken. ye must abyde the plea¦sure of the kynge / to whome we shall shewe all your excusacions. My lordes quod he all shall be as god wyll. Than he was agayne sette in prisone / and there remayned four dayes or he was sente for agayne.

WHan these tydynges were spredde a¦brode in the countrey that Betysach was in prison / and that inquyre was made of his dedes / and that it was publys∣shed that who so euer had any matter to hym shulde come forthe. therby moche people came to Besyers / and put vp supplycacions to the kynge of the cruell dedes of Betysach. Some complayned of hym that he hadde dysheryted them without cause or reason. And other com¦playned of hym that he hadde by force taken their wyues and doughters. Whan the kyn∣ges counsayle sawe so many gret causes laide to Betysache / they were wery therof. And be∣syde all these complayntes he was sore beha∣ted with the people. And all this came to hym by reason to fyll the duke of Berreys purse / he dyd euer what he wolde haue hym to do. The kynges counsayle wyste nat what to do / for than there was come thyder two knightes fro the duke of Berrey / the lorde of Nantonelet and syr Peter Mespyn / who had brought let∣ters

to the kynge fro the duke / and they in the dukes behalfe auowed all that euer Betysach had doone before / and the duke requyred the kynge and his counsayle to haue agayne his man and treasourer. The kynge had greate hatred to Betysach / bycause of the yuell name and fame that ranne vpon hym. The kynge and the duke of Thourayne his brother in∣clyned greatly to haue had hym hanged / say∣enge howe he hadde well deserued it. But the kynges counsayle durste nat iudge hym for dought of the duke of Berrey. They sayde to the kynge / syr if the duke of Berrey auowe all his dedes what so euer they be / we canne nat se by no waye of reason that he hath deserued dethe / for the seasone that he medled in these countreys by cessynge of tayles / subsydyes / and aydes / and receyuynge of them / he dyd it at the instaūce of the duke of Berrey who had at that tyme there puyssaunce royall / as well as ye haue nowe. but syr / acordynge to the de∣sertes of his dedes / ye maye sease in to your handes all his mouables and herytages / and leaue hym in the same case as the duke of Ber¦rey founde hym fyrste / and with his goodes make restytucion to suche poore men as be vn done by hym. What shulde I make longe pro¦cesse / Betysache was at the poynte of his de∣lyueraunce with the losse of his goodes / tyll at the laste other tydynges came in place. I shall shewe you what.

I Knewe nat nor I coulde nat knowe but by knowledgyng of him selfe / if he were in dede so yuell as he iudged himselfe / he sayd he was an herytyke and had done many hor∣ryble dedes. As it was shewed me there came some to hym on a nyght beynge in prisone to put hym in feare / whether they were his fren∣des or fooes I knowe nat / they sayde. Bety∣sach thou art in a harde case / the french kyng / his brother / and the duke of Burbone dothe hate you mortally / there be so many complayn¦tes put vp agaynste you fro dyuers place / of suche oppressyons as ye haue doone whan ye had rule in Languedoc / so that they all iudge you to be hanged / for ye canne nat scape with the losse of your goodes / the whiche hath been offred to the kynge. But the kynge who ha∣teth you mortally / hath aunswered howe that all your goodes are his / and your body also / the whiche he sayeth he wyll nat kepe longe. I shew you this for good wyll / for to morowe it is thought ye shall be delyuered to be iud∣ged to dye. Those wordes greatly afrayed Betysach / and sayd to them. Ah saynt Mary is there no remedy. yes quod they / to morowe say how ye wolde speke with the kinges coun¦sayle / & than outher they wyll come to you or sende for you to them / and whan ye be in their presence / than say thus. My lordes I know∣ledge my selfe I haue greatly displeased god / and for the displeasure he hath to me / this false slaunder is reysed on me. Than they wyll de∣maunde of you wherin. Than ye shall aun∣swere / howe ye haue a longe season arred in your faythe / and that ye be an herytyke / and kepe styll that opinyon. Whan the bysshop of Besyers shall here that / he wyll than chalenge to haue you in his kepynge / than ye shall be de¦lyuered to hym / for suche causes ought to be declared by the lawe of the churche / thanne ye shall be sente to Auignon / there wyll be none against the duke of Berrey / the pope wyll nat displease hym / and by this meanes ye may be delyuered / and nother lese body nor goodes. But if ye byde styll in the case that ye be in / ye shall nat skape paste to morowe / but that ye shall be hanged / for the kynge hateth you by∣cause of the slaunder of the people. Betysache who trusted on that false infourmacyon / for he that is in parell of dethe knoweth nat well what to do / wherfore he aunswered and sayd. ye be my frende and coūsayle me truely / wher of god thanke you / and I trust the tyme shall come that I shall thanke you. The next mor∣nynge he called the gayler and sayde. Frende I requyre you cause suche menne and suche to come to speke with me / and named suche as were the enquysitours ouer him. The gayler shewed theym howe Betysache wolde speke with them. They came to hym and demaun∣ded what he wolde. He aunswered and sayd. Sirs / I haue serched my cōscience / I know∣ledge my selfe I haue hyghly displeased god / for longe tyme I haue arred agaynst y^e fayth / I neuer beleued of the Trinyte / nor that the sonne of god wolde come so lowe / as to come fro Heuen to come in to this worlde to take humayn kynde of a woman. for I beleue and saye / that whan we dye there is nothynge of the sowle. Ah sainte Mary quod they / Bety∣sach ye are greatly against holy churche / your wordes demaundeth for a fyre / aduyse you

better. I canne nat tell quod Betysache whe∣ther my wordes demaūdeth fyre or water / but I haue holden this opinyon sythe I haue had knowledge / and shall holde it tyll I dye. The enquysitours wolde here no more of hym at that tyme / and were gladde to fynde suche a mater against hym / therby to put him to deth. Than they cōmaunded the gailer to kepe him straytely / and to suffre no man to speke with hym / to the entente that he shulde nat be tour∣ned fro that opynyon. Thanne they wente to the kynges counsayle and shewed them all the mater / than they wente to the kynge and she∣wed hym all the maner of Betysache (as ye haue herde) wherof the kynge had great mar¦ueyle & sayd. We wyll that he be put to dethe / it is an yuell man / he is a false herytyke and a thefe / we wyll he be brynte and hanged / than he shall haue as he hath deserued / he shall nat be e••cused for all myne vncle of Berrey. Anon these tydynges were spredde abrode in the cy∣tie of Besyers / howe Betysache hadde of his owne voluntary wyll without any constraynt confessed howe he was an herytyke / and had vsed longe the synne of bowgery / and howe the kynge had sayde howe he shulde be brynte and hanged / wherof moche people were right ioyouse / for he was sore hated. the two knygh∣tes that were come thyder fro the duke of Ber¦rey were greatly abasshed and wyst nat what to suppose. Than syr Peter Mesquyn sayde to the lorde of Nantonelet. Syr / I feare me Betysache is betrayed / peraduenture some persone hath ben with hym secretly in the pri∣sone / and hathe borne hym in hande that if he holde that horryble erroure / that the churche than shall chalenge hym / and so be sente to A∣uignon to the pope / and therby be delyuered. Ah fole that he is / he is dysceyued / for the kyng sayeth he wyll haue hym bothe brente and han¦ged. Lette vs go to the prisone to hym and re∣forme hym / and bringe hym to a nother state / for he is farre out of the waye and yuell coun∣sayled. They wente strayte to the prisone / and desyred the gayler that they might speke with Betysache. The gayler excused hymselfe and sayde. Syrs ye muste pardone me / for I am straytely charged to suffer no manne to speke with hym / and also here be four sargeauntes of armes sente by the kynge to kepe hym / and we dare nat breke the kinges cōmaundement. Than the two knyghtes sawe well howe they labored in vayne / and howe there was no re∣medy by all lykelyhode / but that Betysache shulde dye. than they retourned to their lod∣gynge and rekened and payed / and toke their horses and returned to their lorde the duke of Berrey and shewed hym all the case.

THe cōclusion of Betysach was suche that the nexte daye 〈◊〉〈◊〉 tenne of the clocke he was taken out of pry∣sone / and brought to the bysshoppes palays / and there were redy the iudges and offycers spyrituall / and the bayly of Besyers brought forthe the prisoner / and sayde. Beholde syrs here is Betisache whome I delyuer to you for an herytyke and a synnet in bo••gery / and if he had nat ben a clerke he had been iudged or this acordynge to his desertes. Than the of∣fycyall demaūded of Betysach if it were with hym acordynge as he was acused / and to con∣fesse the frouth there openly before all the peo∣ple. And Betysache who thought to haue said well / and to haue scaped by reason of his con∣fessyon / he aunswered and sayde that all was trewe. He was demaunded this thre tymes / and at euery tyme he confessed it to be trewe before all the people. Thus ye maye knowe whether he was dysceyued or nat / for i•• he had made no suche confessyon he had been delyue∣red / for the duke of Berrey had fully auowed all his dedes / the whiche he had doone at his commaundemente in the countrey of Langue doc. But it was to be supposed that fortune played her tourne with hym / for whanne he thought to haue been moste assuredest on the heyght of fortunes whele / he was tourned vp so downe fro her whele / as she hathe doone a hundred thousande mo sythe the worlde be∣gan. Than Betysach was delyuered agayne by the spirytuall iudge to the bayly of Besy∣ers / who vnder the kinge ruled the temperal∣te / the whiche Betysache without delaye was brought to a place before the palays. He was so hasted forwarde / that he had no leysure to aunswere nor to saye nay / For whan he sawe a fyre redy prepared in y^e place / and sawe that he was in the handes of the hangman / he was sore abasshed / and sawe well than that he was dysceyued and betrayed. Than he cryed out a loude / requirynge to be herde. but than was no hede taken to his sayenge / but the hange∣man sayde. It is ordeyned that ye shall dye /

for your yuell warkes hathe brought you to an yuell ende. He was hasted forwarde to his dethe / and the fyre made redy / there was also reysed a payre of galowes / and therto tyed a chayne of yron / and at the ende therof a coler of yron / the whiche was put aboute his necke / and than the chaine drawen vp a hye and tyed rounde aboute the galowes. Than he cryed and sayde. Duke of Berrey they cause me to dye without reason / they do me wronge. As sone as he was tyed to the galows / there was setre rounde aboute drye segge / rede / and ••a∣go••••es / and fyre put therto / and incontynente the faggortes were a fyre. Thus Betysache was hanged and brente / and the frenche kyng out of his chaumbre myght well se hym if he wolde. To this poore ende came Betysache / and so the people were reuenged of hym. And for to saye the trouthe he had doone many ex∣torcions and domages to the people / whyle he had the gouernynge of the countrey of Lan∣guedoc. ∵ ∵