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 maryage was treated / of the lorde Philyp of Arthoys Erle of Ewe / and the lady Mary of Ber∣rey wydowe / doughter to the duke of Berey / and howe he was admyt¦ted Constable of Fraunce. Cap. C.xc.iiii.

IN this same seasone there was a treatie of ma∣ryage to be had bytwene the lorde Philyppe of Ar∣thoys & the yong wydowe lady of Berrey / somtyme called coūtesse of Dunoys and wyfe to Loyes of Bloys. The Frenche kynge wolde gladly haue had this maryage auaunsed / but the duke of Berrey was natre wyllynge therto / for he thought the erldome of Ewe but a small thyng / as to the regarde of her fyrste husbande / wherfore he thought to mary her more highlyer. In dede the lady was beautifull & endued with all vertues / y^t shulde aperteyne to a noble lady. Howe be it finally / the duke of Berrey was lothe to displease the kynge / yet he had many offers made hym for his doughter / as by the yonge duke of Loreyne / by the erle of Armynake / & by the sonne and heyre of the Erle of Foiz. The kynge brake of all these maryages / and sayd to his vncle. Fayre vncle of Berrey / we wyll nat that ye shall putte our cosyn youre doughter come of the Floure delyce / in to so farre countreys / we shall prouyde for her a mariage mete / for we wolde gladly haue her nere vs / it is right mete that she be with our aunt your wyfe / for they be moche of one age Whan the duke sawe the kynges entente / he re••rayned hym selfe of makynge of any pro∣myse / to any persone for his doughter. Also he sawe well that the kynge enclyned his fa∣uour to his cosyn the lorde Philyppe of Ar∣thois / who was a yonge lusty knyght and of highe corage / and hadde endured many tra∣ueyls in armes / beyond the see and other pla¦ces / and had atchyued many voyages to his great laude and honour. Than the dukes of Berrey and Burgoyne agreed bytwene thē / that if the kynge wolde gyue to their cosyn Philyppe of Arthois / the offyce of Consta∣blery of Fraunce / whiche as than they repu∣ted voyde / by reason of the forfayture of sir Olyuer of Clysson / than they to agree at the kynges pleasure in this sayd maryage. For the duke of Berrey thought / that if he were constable of Fraūce / he shulde than haue suf∣fycient to mentayne his estate. On this the two dukes determyned to speke to the kynge and so they dyde / and said to hym. Sir / your counsayle generally are all agreed / that the lorde Philyp of Arthoys be preferred to the offyce of constableshyp of Fraunce / whiche is nowe voyde. For by iugement of your {per}∣lyament / Olyuer of Clysson hath forfayted y^e offyce / whiche maye nat be long vacant / but it shulde be preiudyce to the realme. And sir / bothe you and we also are bounde to auaūce and promote our cosyn of Arthoys / for he is nere of blode and of lynage to vs. And sir / se¦ing the office is voyde / we can nat tell where ye shulde better enploy it / than on hym. He shall right well exercise it: he is welbeloued with knyghtes and squiers: and he is a man without enuy or couytousnesse. These wor∣des pleased well the kyng / who answered & said. Vncle (if it voyde) we had rather he had it than another. The kyng{is} vncles sued styll for the lorde Philyppe of Arthoys / for the duke of Berrey hated sir Olyuer of Clis∣son / bycause he consented to distroye Bety∣sache his seruaunte. And the duke of Bur∣goyne hated hym / bycause he made warre

agaynst the duke of Bretaygne / and yet the duchesse hated hym worse. Finally the kyng assented / so that the duke of Berrey wolde a¦gre to the maryage / bytwene his doughter & the said lorde Philyppe of Arthoys. And yet to satisfye the kyng and the duke of Orlyaū∣ce / who bare sir Olyuer of Clysson in that of¦fyce. They sente sir Guyllyam of Bourdes and sir Guyllyam Martell / bothe knyghtes of the kynges chambre. And sir Philyppe of Sauoises a knyght of the duke of Berreys in to Bretaygne / to speke with sir Olyuer of Clysson. These knyghtes tooke their iour∣ney and rode to Angers / and there they foūd the quene of Hierusalem and Iohan of Bre∣taygne / who receyued them right honorably for the honour of the Frenche kynge. There they taryed two dayes / and demaunded ne∣wes of sir Olyuer of Clysson. Sayeng they had curtesse letters and message fro the Frē∣che kyng to hym / and fro none other persone And they were aunswered no man coude tell where he was / but that he was surely in Bre¦tayne / in one of his fortresses. But they said he was so flyttyng fro one place to another / that it was harde to fynde hym. Than these knightes departed and toke leaue of y^e quene and of her sonne Charles the prince of Tha∣tent / and of Iohan of Bretaygne erle of Pō¦thieu / and rode to Rennes. And the duke of Bretayne and the duchesse were at Wannes and rode nat lightly forthe out of the towne / for he euer douted the busshmentes of his en¦nemye sir Olyuer of Clysson. There was so harde warre made bytwene them / that there was no mercy but dethe. And thoughe the duke was lorde and souerayne of the coun∣trey / yet there was neyther barone / knyght / nor squyer in Bretaygne / that wolde arme them agaynst sir Olyuer of Clysson / but dis∣symuled and sayde / that their warre touched them nothyng / wherfore they satte styll. The duke coude haue none other conforte.

WHan̄e these Frenche knyghtes were at Rennes: they enquered where to fynde sir Olyuer of Clysson / but they coude here no certentie of hym. Thanne they were coūsayled to drawe to the castell of Io∣selyn / where sir Olyuer of Clyssons men re∣ceyued them well / for the loue of the Frenche kynge. Than they demaunded where they myght here of sir Olyuer of Clysson / Say∣eng they had to speke with hym / fro the fren∣che kynge and from the duke of Orlyaunce / and from none other persones. But his men coude tell nothyng of hym / or els they wolde nat tell. But they sayd. sirs / surely it wyll be harde to fynde hym / for this daye he is in one place / and to morowe in another. But if it please you / ye maye ryde ouer all the duchy of Bretaygne / and sertche ouer all his forte∣resses and houses / none shall be closed aga∣ynst you. Whan they sawe they coulde haue none other aunswere they departed thens / & rode and visyted all the fortresses great and small / parteynynge to the lorde Olyuer of Clysson. Than̄e they came to Wannes / and there founde the duke of Bretaygne and the duchesse / who receyued them / and there they taryed but halfe a daye / and dyscouered nat to the duke / the secrete mater that they came thyder for / nor also the duke examyned them nothynge of the mater. Also they coulde nat se there sir Peter of Craon.

THus they toke leaue of the duke and of the duchesse and retourned to Pa¦rys / where they foūde the kyng and the lordes / and there reported to the kynge & to the duke of Orlyaunce / howe they hadde sought all the places and townes parteynyn¦ge to sir Olyuer of Clysson / but in no wyse they coulde fynde hym. The dukes of Bur∣goyn and Berrey were right gladde of these newes / and wolde nat it had ben otherwise. Than anone after proceded the maryage by¦twene the lorde Philippe of Arthois and the lady Mary of Berrey. and so this lorde Phi¦lyppe was Constable of Fraunce / and vsed the offyce / with all profytes and aduaunta∣ges therto belongyng / of auncyent ordynaū¦ces. yet the lorde Olyuer of Clysson had nat renounced the offyce / nor delyuered vp the Martell / whiche is the token of the Consta∣ble of Fraunce. For he contynued / and sayd he wolde abyde styll Cōstable / and had done no cause why to lese it / nouther to the kynge nor to the realme. He knewe well the erle of Ewe was profered to haue the offyce of the Constable / and to enioye the profyttes ther∣of / by consente of the Kynge / and howe he hadde maryed the doughter of the Duke of

Berrey the lady Mary. He toke but lytell re¦garde to all this / for he knewe hym selfe true to the kynge / and to the crowne of Fraunce. And knewe well / all that was done agaynst hym was through enuy and hatered / that the dukes of Burg••yne and Berey had against hym. Thus the lorde of Clysson lette the ma¦ter passe / and contynued styll his warre aga¦ynst y^e duke of Bretayne / whiche warre was right fierse and cruell / without mercy or py∣tie. The lorde of Clysson rode ofter abrode and layde busshmentes / than the duke dyde. And all other lordes of Bretayne satte styll & wolde nat medyll. The duke dyde sende for the lordes of his countrey / and they came to speke with hym / & to knowe his entent. than the duke requyred them of their ayde & helpe agaynst his ennemy sir Olyuer of Clysson. Than the lordes of Bretayne / as the vicoūt of Rohan / the lorde Dignan / the lorde Her∣men of Lyon / and dyuers other excused them and sayd. they knewe no cause why / nor they wolde nat make no warre agaynst the lorde Clysson / but they said they wolde right glad¦lye endenour them selfes to bringe them to a peace / if they coude. Whan the duke sawe he coude haue none other conforte of them / and parceyued well howe he lost and was lykely to lese mo men in that warre than sir Olyuer of Clysson / than he consented that the sayde lordes shulde go to sir Olyuer of Clysson & treate for a peace / and to bringe hym vnder saueconducte to Wannes to speke with hym / at whiche tyme he sayd he shulde be founde tretable / and to agre to all reason. And if sir Olyuer had done hym any displeasure / that he myght haue amendes accordynge to their aduyse. These lordes were well agreed thus to do / and so they all thre wente to the lorde Olyuer of Clysson / and dyde so moche that they spake with hym (as I was enformed) in the castell of Io••elyn / and shewed him the dukes entent. And moreouer to bringe them to a peace (for they sawe well warr̄ was nat fytting bytwene them / but greatly noyed the noble men / marchaūtes / and cōmons of Bre∣taygne) they sayd to the lorde Olyuer. Sir / if it wyll please you to go to y^e duke / we shall bynde vs to abide here ī this castell tyll your retourne. And we doute nat / ye beynge ones in his presence / ye shall fynde him so resona∣ble / that peace and good accorde shalbe had bitwene you. Sir Olyuer sayd. Sirs what shall it profyte you if I were deed? Thynke you that I knowe nat the duke of Bretayne? He is so cruell and so haute / that for all his saueconducte / or what soeuer he saythe / if he sawe me in his presēce / he wolde neuer cease tyll I were deed: and than̄e shulde you dye lykewise / for my men here wolde soone slee you without mercy. Wherfore it is best that bothe you and I saue our lyues / rather than to putte vs in that daunger. I shall kepe me fro hym and I can / and lette hym kepe hym as well fro me. Than̄e the lorde Charles of Dignan sayde. Fayre cosyn / ye may saye as it please you / but we thynke surely thoughe he sawe you / he wolde do you no displeasure This that we offre you is of good affection / and to bringe you to accorde / and we praye you that ye wyll thus do. Than y^e lorde Clys¦son sayde. Sirs / I beleue surely ye meane well / but I ensure you vpon this assuraunce I shall neuer go to hym. But sithe ye medell in the mater bytwene vs / we shall nat thynke that I shalbe vnresonable. I shall tell you what I wyll do. Retourne you agayn to the duke / and saye that I wyll nat take you for no pledge nor hostage. Lette hym sende me his sonne and heyre / who is maryed to the doughter of Fraūce / and he shall abyde here in this castell with my men / tyll I retourne agayne. This way I thynke more surer thā the other / for if ye shulde abyde here (as ye offre) Who shulde than̄e entremedell in the busynesse bytwene y^e duke and me? For with¦out a meane we shall neuer come to accorde.

WHan these lordes of Bretayne sawe they coude haue non other answere they tooke their leaues and retour∣ned to Wānes to the duke / and shewed hym what they had done / but in no wyse the duke wolde consente to sende his sonne to the ca∣stell of Ioselyn. So their warre contynued styll / wherby no persone durst ryde abrode / and marchaundyse was layde downe / tho∣roughe whiche the people of good townes & cyties were sore hindred / and poore laborers lette laboringe of the erthe. The duchesse of Burgoyn couertly ayded her cosyn the duke of Bretayne w^t men of armes / aswell of Bur¦goyne as of other places. for the duke coude get none of his countrey to take his parte in

that quarell agaynst sir Olyuer of Clysson. They alwayes dissymuled the mater except suche as were of his owne house. The duke of Orlyaunce on the other parte / loued well the lorde Olyuer of Clyison / and secretely so coured hym with men / and sente hym horses. Sir Olyuer of Glysson roode ofter abrode than the duke dyde. And it fortuned on a day he encountred two squyers of the dukes / the one called Ber••ard & the other yuonet. they were taken and brought to sir Olyuer / who was gladde of them: He knewe them well / one of them hadde done hym seruyce in tyme past / and the other nat / but he had done hym displeasure. Than sir Olyuer said to yuonet Remembrest thou nat howe in the Castell of Ermyne thou sheweddest me but small cur∣tesy: and thou Bernarde haddest pyte on me and dyddest putte of thy gowne and putte it on me / whā I stode in my doublet on y^e paue∣ment / the whiche kepte me fro colde. I wyll nowe yelde thy curtesy to the / thy lyfe shalbe saued. but thou false knaue and traitour yuo net / thou myghtest haue done otherwyse thā thou dyddest / therfore thou shalte repent it / and therwith drewe his dagger and strake hym to the herte. Another tyme y^e lorde Clis∣son rode with thre hundred speares in his cō¦pany / towarde the castell of Alroy / where the duke and duchesse of Bretayne were. This was aboute Mydsomer / and by fortune he encountred a fourtie of the Dukes seruaun∣tes / who hadde tyed their horses to the trees / and had sickels in their hādes / and were cut¦tyng downe the corne / and makynge trusses to cary to their lodgynges lyke forragers. Whan the lorde Olyuer came on them / they were sore afrayde / and the lorde Oliuer said Sirs / howe dare ye come in to the feldes / to steale and to take awaye poore mēnes corne? ye neuer sowed them / and yet ye cutte theym downe or they be type: ye begyn haruest to soone. Leape on your horses and take youre sickels / for this tyme I wyll do you no hurt / and saye to the duke of Breraygne who is in Alroy / that if he wyll come or sende his men to driue me away / here he shall fynde me tyll the sonne goynge downe. These poore men were gladde they were so delyuered / they fea¦red to haue ben slayne. So they retourned to the castell of Alroy to y^e ••••ke / and shewed hym what they hadde herde and sene / but the duke nor none of his men issued out of y^e ca∣stell. Many scrimysshes were made in Bre∣taygne / bytwene the duke and sir Olyuer of Clysson / and they of the countre medled nat bytwene them. ¶Nowe we wyll leaue to speke of the duke of Bretayne and of sir Oli¦uer of Clysson / and of their warre / and speke of the busynesse bytwene Englande & Frāce. ∴ ∴