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 syr Peter of craon through yuell wyll / by subtyle crafte / beate downe syr Olyuer of Clysson / wher¦with the Kynge and his counsayle were sore displeased. Ca. C.lxxxv. (Book 185)

YE haue well herde here be¦fore how {ser} Peter of Craon / who was a knyght of great lygnage / but he was farre out of the fren∣che kynges grace and the duke of Thourayns. if he dyd somoche to cause them to be displeased with him he dyd yuell. ye haue herde also howe he was gone in to Bretayne to the duke / who shewed hym that the yuell wyll that the kynge bare hym was by the mea¦nes of syr Olyuer of Clysson. It may well be that he was so enfourmed / in that he hadde so great hate to the constable sir Olyuer of Clys∣son / for he studyed euer after howe to dystroy hym. Thus whyle syr Peter of Craon was with the duke of Bretaygne / they wolde often tymes comune togyder / and deuise howe they myght bringe syr Olyuer of Clysson to dethe / for they sayd that and he were ones deed there was none y^t wolde greatly reuenge his dethe. The duke repēted hym that he had nat slayne hym whan he had hym in prisone / and wolde as than that it had coste hym a hundred thou∣sande frankes / that he had hym agayne at his wyll. Whan syr Peter of Craon sawe that the duke had suche hatred to syr Olyuer of Clys∣son / he purposed a marueylous ymaginacien in himselfe / for by apparaūce men shulde gyue iudgement. This knyght thought howe so euer it were that he wolde slee the constable / and thought to entende to nothynge els tyll he had slayne hym with his owne handes / or cau¦sed hym to be slayne / and afterwarde entreat for peace. He douted nothyng Iohn̄ of Blois / nor the sonne of the Vicounte of Rohan / who had wedded two of the constables doughters / he thought to do well ynough with theym as longe as y^e duke was on his parte / for he sawe well the strengthe and puyssaunce of Bloys was greatly feblysshed / for the Erle Guy of Bloys had solde the herytage of Bloys to the duke of Thourayn / whiche shulde haue ronne by successyon to therle of Pointhycur Iohan of Bloys / wherby he thought that the duke of Thourayne shewed hym but small loue nor alyaunce of lynage / to bye away his enhery∣taunce / wherfore this syr Peter thought if syr Olyuer of Clysson were deed / sone to apease the kynges yuell wyll and the duke of Thou∣rayns / and therby sone to ouercome the lorde de la Ryuer and syr Iohan Mercyer / Mon∣tagu / the Begue of Villayns / and syr Iohan of Bulle / and other of the Kynges chambre / suche as susteyned the constable. for he knewe well that the duke of Berrey and the duke of Burgoyne loued them nothynge in wardely / whatsoeuer they shewed outwardly. Thus sir Peter of Craon perceyuered styll in his opy∣nyon / and deuysed in his imagynacion by the entysyng of the dyuell / who neuer slepeth / but waketh and enbraseth their hartes to do yuell that enclyneth to his exortacion. Thus the dy¦uell dayly layde the mater before this knygh∣tes eyen / or he put the mater to execusyon / but if he had iustly ymagyned the doutes and pa∣relles / and myscheuousnesse that myght fall by his yuell dede / reasone and wyse atempe∣raunce shulde haue caused hym to haue done otherwyse. But it is often tymes said that the great desyre that a man hath to haue the exe∣cusyon of that thynge / or it be fallen often ty∣mes quencheth reason and wysdome / therfore often tymes vyces are maysters and vertues

vyolate and corrupted / and for bycause that specially this syr Peter of Craon had so great affection to the dystructyon of the constable / therfore he lyghtly enclyned to the temptacion to do outrage and folly / and thought that if he myght slee the constable and returne agayne safely in to Bretayne / that no man wolde seke hym there if they dyd he trusted that the duke wolde excuse hym / and that if the worste fell / that the Frenche kynge came thyder with a great puyssaunce / than in a nyght to entre in to a shyppe and so to go to Burdeaux to Bay on / or in to Englande / and there he thought well he shulde nat be pursewed / for he knewe well that the englysshe men hated the consta∣ble bycause of the crueltyes that he had doone and consented to be done sythe he was tour∣ned frenche howe be it before that he had done many notable seruyces to the englysshe men / as it hath ben rehersed here before in this hy∣story.

SIr Peter of Craon for to accōplyssh his desyre / had longe studyed in his mynde / howe to brynge his purpose to passe / and kepte his purpose close and se∣crete. I knowe nat if he shewed it to the duke of Bretayne or nat / some thought ••es / bycause after the dede done by hym and his company / he toke the next way he coude in to Bretayne / and tooke for his sauegarde the duke of Bre∣taygne. and also before the dede done he solde his castelles and herytage that he had in An∣iou to the duke of Bretaygne / and renyed his homage to the frenche kynge / and sayd howe he wolde go ouer the see. Of all these maters I passe breuely / but I shall declare the dede / for I syr Iohan Froysart auctour of this hy∣story / whan this vnhappy dede was doone by syr Peter of Craon / agaynste syr Olyuer of Clysson / I was the same tyme at Paris / wher¦fore I ought to be well enfourmed of the ma∣ter / acordyng to the enquery that I made ther¦in to knowe the trouthe. The same tyme this syr Peter had in the towne of Parys a fayre house standynge in the churche yarde of saynt Iohans / as dyuers other lordes had in the cy∣tie for their pleasure. In this house there was a keper. syr Peter of Craon had sent of his ser¦uauntes to Parys / and they prouyded large∣ly in the house with wyne / corne / flesshe / salte / and other prouysyons. Also he had writen to the keper that he shulde bye certayne armure as cotes of stele / gauntletes / stoles and other harnesse for .xl men / and that doone to sende hym worde therof to thentente that he wolde sende for them / and secretly all this do be done. The keper who thought none yuell and to o∣bey his maysters cōmaundement / bought all this marchaūdyse. And all this season he was in a castell of his owne in Aniou called Sa∣ble / and he sent one weke thre or four seruaun∣tes to his house in Parys / and so wekely tyll he had there a .xl. and shewed them nothynge for what cause he sent them thyder / but he char¦ged them to kepe them selfe close in his howse in any wyse / and what so euer they lacked the keper of his house shulde prouyde for it. and on a daye I shall shewe you the cause why I sende you thyder before / & ye shall haue good wages. They dyd as he commaunded them / and came priuely to Parys / and entred in to the house by nyght and in the mornynges / for as than the gates of Parys nyght and daye stode open. There assembled in that house so many togyther / that they were a .xl. compa∣nyons hardy men and outragyous. Howe be it there were some that if they hadde knowen wherfore they came thyder{is} they wolde nat haue come there / yet they kepte them selfe se∣crete. Than at y^e feest of Pentecost syr Peter of Craon came to Paris secretly & entred into his howse / dysguysed lyke a seruaunt. Than he called for the porter that kepte the gate / and sayd. I cōmaunde the on payne of thy lyfe let no man / woman / nor chylde entre in to this house / nor none to go out without my cōmaun¦dement. The porter obeyed as it was reason / and so dyd the keper / and he cōmaunded the kepers wyfe & her chyldren to kepe her cham∣bre and nat to issue out therof / wherin he dyd wysely / for if the woman and chyldren had gone abrode in the streates / the comynge thy∣ther of syr Peter Craon had been knowe / for chyldren and women naturally are harde to kepe counsayle / of that thynge a man wolde haue kepte secrete. Thus syr Peter and his company were secretly in his howse tyll the day of the holy sacramente / and euery day syr Peter had a brode his spyes that brought him worde of the state of syr Olyuer Clysson / and tyll that daye he coulde fynde no tyme to exe∣cute his enterprise / wherwith he was sore dis∣pleased in hym selfe. The said day the frenche

kynge kepte a feest with open courte with all the lordes that were there. Also the quene and the duches of Thourayne were there in great ioy and solace. The same day after dyner the yonge lusty knyghtes were armed and iusted valyauntly / in the presence of the kynge and of the quene / and other ladyes and damosels / and contynued tyll it was nere nyght / and by the iudgement of the ladyes and harauldes / the price was gyuen to syr Gillyam of Flaun¦ders erle of Namure. And the kynge made all the lordes and ladyes a great supper / and af∣ter supper daunced tyll it was one of the clock after mydnyght. than euery man departed to their lodgynges / some to one place & some to another without feare or doute of any thyng. Syr Olyuer of Clisson who as than was con¦stable of Fraunce / departed fro the kynges place last of all other / and had taken his leaue of the kynge / and than went through the duke of Thourayns chambre / and sayde to hym. Syr wyll ye tary here all nyght / or els go to your lodgyng of Poullayne. This Poullayn was the dukes treasourer / and dwelte a lytell besyde the sygne of the Lyon of syluer. Than the duke sayde / constable I can nat tell as yet whether I do tary here or els go thyder / go ye your waye to your lodgynge / for it is tyme. Than syr Olyuer toke his leaue of the duke and sayd. syr god sende you good nyght / and so departed / and in the streate he founde his seruauntes and his horse / an eyght persones / and two torches. Than he rode forthe to entre in to the hygh streate of saynt Kateryns.

SIr Peter of Craon had the same night layde good spyall on {ser} Olyuer of Clis∣son / and knewe well that he was bydden be∣hynde his company with the kynge / and that his horse taryed at the kynges gate for hym. Than he moūted on his horse and all his com¦pany well armed couertly / and there past nat sire of his company that knew his entent. and whan he came in to saynte Katheryns streate there he taryed / and abode priuely for the con∣stables cōmyng. And as sone as the constable was issued out of the streate of saynt Powle / and came in to the hyghe streate and his tor∣ches besyde hym / and came rydynge talkyng with a squyer of his / sayenge. To morowe I must haue at dyner with me y^e duke of Thou∣rayne / the lorde Coucy / syr Iohan of Vyen / syr Charles Dangers / the barone of Vrey / and dyuers other / wherfore speke to my ste∣warde that they lacke nothynge. And sayeng of those wordes syr Peter Craon and his com¦pany came on hym / and at the first they strake out the torches. And whan the constable herde the russhynge of the horses behynde hym / no thought it had been the duke of Thourayne that had folowed and sported with hym / and sayde. Ah syr it is yuell doone / but I pardon you / ye are yonge and full of play and sporte. With those wordes syr Peter of Craon drewe out his swerde and said / slee the constable slee hym / for he shall dye. What arte thou quod Clysson that spekest those wordes? I am Pe∣ter of Craon thyne enemye / thou hast so often tymes dyspleased me / that nowe thou shalte make amēdes / and therwith strake at the con∣stable / and syr Peters men drewe oute their swordes and strake at the constable / who had no wepon / but a shorte knyfe of two foote of length / and defended hym selfe as well as he myght / and his men were without armure / and sone put a brode fro their mayster. Than syr Peters men sayd shall we slee them all. yea quod sir Peter / all suche as make any defence. Their defence was but small / for they were but eight persones and without armure. Sir Peter demaunded nothynge but the dethe of the constable / some that were there whan they knewe it was the constable they gaue him but faynte strokes / for a thynge doone by trayson is doone cowardly without any hardynesse. The constable defended hymselfe valyauntly with that wepyn that he had / howe be it his defence hadde vayled hym but lytell / and the great grace of god had nat ben. Styll he sate on his horse tyll he had a full stroke on y^e heed / with whiche stroke he fell fro his horse ryght agaynst a bakers dore / who was vp and busy to bake breed / and had left his dore halfe open whiche was happy for the constable / for as he fell fro his horse he fell agaynste the dore / and the dore opened and he fell in at the dore / and they that were a horsebacke coulde nat entre after hym / the dore was to lowe and to lytell. God shewed great grace to the constable / for if he had fallen in the streates as he dyde in at the dore / or if the dore had been shytte / he had ben slayn without remedy / but they that were a horsebacke durste nat alyght / and also they thought / and so dyd syr Peter y^t on the stroke

that he had on the heed / that at laste it shulde be his dethes wounde. Than syr Peter sayd / go we hence / we haue done ynough / for if he be nat deed / he wyll dye on the stroke that he hathe on the heed / for it was a great stroke. Therwith they departed and rode a waye a good pace to the gate of saynte Anthony / and rode out therat / for as than the gate was open and had ben ten yere / sythe the frenche kynge retourned fro the batayle of Rosebeque / and that the sayd constable put downe the malles of Parys / and punysshed them for their rebel∣lyons.

THus syr Olyuer of Clysson was lefte in this case / as a man halfe deed and more / in the bakers house / who was sore abasshed whan he knewe it was the con∣stable / as for his men had lytell hurte / for syr Peter and his men loked for nothynge but to haue slayne the constable. Than syr Olyuers men assembled togyther / and entred in to the bakers house / and there founde their it mayster sore hurte on the heed / and the blode rennynge downe by his vysage / wherwith they were sore abasshed / and good cause why. there they made great complayntes / fyrste they feared he had ben deed. Anone tydinges hereof came to the kynges lodgynge / and it was sayde to the kyng / as he was goynge to his bedde. Ah syr we canne nat hyde fro you the great mys∣chiefe that is nowe sodenly fallen in Parys. What myschefe is that quod the kynge? Syr quod they / your constable syr Olyuer of Clis∣son is slayne. Slayne quod the kynge / and howe so / and who hath done that dede? Syr quod they we canne nat tell / but this myschefe is fallen on hym here by in the streate of saynt Kateryn. Well quod the kynge / light vp your torches / I wyll go & se hym. Torches anone were lyghted vp. The kynge put on a cloke and his slyppers on his fete. Than suche as kept watche the same nyght went forthe with the kynge / and suche as were a bed & herde of these tydyng{is} rose vp in hast and folowed the kyng / who was gone forthe with a small com¦pany / for the kynge taryed for no manne / but wente forthe with theym of his chambre with torches before him and behynde him / and had no mo chamberlayns with hym but sir Gaul∣tier Martell and syr Iohn̄ of Lygnac / Thus the king came to the bakers house and entred / and certayne torches taryed without. Than the kynge founde his constable nere deed as it was shewed him / but nat fully deed / and his men had taken of all his geare to se his woun¦des / howe he was hurte. And the fyrst worde that the hynge sayd was. Constable howe is it with you? Dere syr {quod} he ryght febly. Who hath brought you in this case quod the kyng. Syr quod he Peter of Craon and his com∣pany traytoursly / and without defence. Con∣stable quod the kynge / there was neuer dede so derely bought as this shall be. Than phy∣sycions and surgeons were sent for on all par¦tes / and whan they came the kyng sayd to his owne surgyons. Syrs / looke what case my constable is in / and shewe me the trouthe / for I am sory of his hurte. Than they serched his woundes in euery parte. Than the kynge de∣maunded of them and sayd. Syrs howe saye you / is he in any parell of dethe. They all an∣swered and sayd. syr surely there is no ieoper∣dy of dethe in hym / but that within these .xv. dayes he shall be able to ryde. With that aun∣swere the kynge was ryght ioyous and sayd / thanked be god these be good tydynges / and than said. Constable be of good chere and care nothynge / for there was neuer trespas sorer punysshed than this shall be / vpon the tray∣tours that haue done this dede / for I take this mater as myne owne. The constable with a feble voyce answered. Sir god rewarde your grace for your noble vysytacyon. Than the kyng toke his leaue and departed and retour¦ned to his lodgynge / and in contynent sente for the prouost of Paris / and by that tyme that he came it was clere day lyght. than the kyng cōmaunded hym and sayd / Prouost get you men togyther well horsed / and pursewe that traytour sir Peter of Craon / who thus tray∣torously hath hurte nygh to the dethe our con¦stable / ye can nat do to vs a more acceptable seruyce thanne to pursewe and take hym and bring hym to vs. Than the prouost answered and sayd / syr I shall do all y^t lyeth in my puys∣saunce to do. Syr canne your grace knowe whiche waye he is gone. Enquyre quod the kynge and do your dylygence.