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 king of Englande gaue to the duke of Lancastre and to his heyres for euer the duchy of Acquy∣tayne / and howe the kyng prepared to go in to Irelande / and the duke in to Acquytayne. Cap. C.xcviii. (Book 198)

YE haue herde here before in this hystorie / howe Trewce was taken bytwene Englande and Fraunce / and there adherē∣ces and alyes / bothe by see and by lande. For all that / yet there were rob∣bers and pyllers in Languedocke / whiche were straungers and of farre countreis: As of Gascoyne / of Bierne / and of Almaygne.

And amonge other / sir Iohan of Grayle ba∣starde (sonne somtyme of the Captall of Beu¦ses / a yonge and an experte knyght) was ca¦pitayne of the stronge castell of Bouteuyll. These capitayns of the garysons in Bigore and marchynge on the realme of Arragone / and on the fronters of Xaynton / and in the marchesse of Rochell / and of the garyson of Mortaygne / were sore displeased that they myght natte ouer rynne to countrey / as they were accustomed to do. For they were strait¦lye commaunded on payne of greuous pu∣nysshment / to do nothyng that shulde soūde to the reproche of the peace.

IN this season it was agreed in En∣glande / consyderynge that the kyn∣ge was yonge / and that he hadde peace with all his ennemyes / farre and nere / excepte with Irelande. For he claymed that lande of enherytaūce / and his predecessours before him / and was written kyng and lorde of Irelande. And kynge Edwarde / graun∣father to kynge Rycharde / made all wayes warre with the Irysshe men. And to the en∣tente that the yonge knyghtes and squyers of Englande shulde enploye them selfe in de¦des of armes / and therby to augment and en¦crease the honour of the realme. It was con¦cluded / that kynge Rycharde of Englande shulde make thyder a voyage with puyssaū∣ce of menne of warre: And so to entre in to Irelande / and nat to retourne agayne with∣out they hadde an honourable composycion or conclusyon. The same season it was con∣cluded / that the duke of Lancastre who had greatlye traueyled bothe by See and by lan¦de / for the augmentacyon and honour of the reralme of Englande / shulde make another voyage with fyue hundred menne of armes and a thousande archers / and to take shyp∣pynge at Hampton or at Plommouthe / and so to sayle to Guyane and to Acquitaygne. And it was the entencyon of kynge Rychar∣de / and by consent of all his counsayle / that the duke of Lancastre shulde haue for euer to hym and to his heyres / all the countrey of Acquitayne with the purtenaunces / as kyng Edwarde his father had / or any other kyng{is} or dukes of Acquitayne / before tyme had hol¦den & optayned: And as kyng Rycharde at y^t tyme had / reserued always the homage that he shulde do to the kynge of Englande / & to any kynges to come after. But as for all the obeysaūces / rentes / lordshypes / and reue∣newes / shulde parteygne to the duke of Lā∣castre and to his heyres for euer. Of this the kyng made to hym a clere graunt / & confyr∣med it vnder his writyng & seale. With this gyfte the duke of Lācastre was well cōtent & good cause why. For in that Duchy are lan¦des and countreis for a great lorde to mayn∣teygne his estate with all. The Charter of this gyfte was engrosed and dewly examy∣ned / and paste by great delyberacyon / and good aduyse of counsayle. Beynge present the kynge and his two vncles / the dukes of yorke and the duke of Gloucestre: The erle of Salisbury / the erle of Arundell / the erle of Derby / sonne to the duke of Lancastre: And also therle Marshall erle of Rutlande / the erle of Northūberlande / the erle of Not∣tyngham / the lorde Thomas Percy / the lor∣de Spensar / the lorde Beamonde / the lorde Willyam of Arundell: The archebysshoppe of Caunterbury and the archebysshoppe of yorke / and the bysshoppe of London / and o∣ther: all these were presente / and dyuers o∣the Prelates and barownes of Englande. Thanne the duke of Lancastre purposed to make his prouisyon to passe the See to go in to Acquitayne / to enioye the gyfte that the kyng hadde gyuen hym. In lykewise great prouisyon was made for the kynges voyage in to Irelande / and lordes and other were a∣poynted / suche as shulde passe the See with the kyng / & had warnyng to make thē redy. ∴ ∴