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 conclusyon of the maryage ••aken at Parys bytwene the kynge of Englande & Isabell eldest dough∣ter to the frenche kynge / and howe the duke of Lancastre remaryed. Cap. CC.x. (Book 210)

THe ambassadours of Englande / were with the frenche kynge at Parys a xxii. dayes and they had as good chere as coulde be deuysed / and their maters tooke suche effecte / that it was agreed that the kyng of Englande shuld haue in maryage Isabell the eldest doughter of kynge Charles / and by vertue of procura∣cyon / the erle Marshall fyaunced and espou∣sed her in the name of the kinge of Englande / and so she was called fro thens forthe quene of Englande. And as I was enfourmed it was a goddly syght to se her behauour / for all that she was but yonge ryght plesauntly she bare the porte of a quene▪ Than all this mater con∣cluded / the englysshe men tooke their leaue of the frenche kynge and of the quene / and of their doughter quene of Englande / and of all other lordes / and so departed fro Parys and retourned to Calays / and so in to Englande. The Kynge and other of his opynyon were glad of their retourne. But who so euer was gladde of that maryage / the duke of Glouce∣stre vncle to the kynge made no ioye there of / for he sawe well that by reasone of that mary∣age and alyaunce / peace shulde be bytwene the kinges and their realmes / whiche greued hym / without it shulde be greatly to the ho∣nour of the kynge and the realme of Englan∣de / and that the Englysshe men myght be in the same case or better in the parties of Ga∣scoyne / as they were or the warres renewed a¦gayne. And of this matter he wolde often ty∣mes speke with his brother the duke of yorke and drewe hym as moche as he coulde to his opynions / for he was but a softe prince / but to the Duke of Lancastre his eldest brother he durste nat speke ouer largely / for he sawe well he was of the kynges opynion / and was well pleased with the Kynges maryage / princy∣pally for the loue of his two doughters / the quene of Spaygne and the quene of Portu∣gale. The same season the duke of Lancastre remaryed agayne the thyrde tyme / to a lady doughter to knyght in Haynalte / called syr Paon of Ruette / he had ben in his tyme with noble quene Phylyp of Englande / who was of the nacyon of Haynalt she was called Ka∣theryn / and was brought vp in her youthe in the duke of Lancasters howse / with the du∣chesse Blaunce of Lancastre / And after the dethe of this lady Blaunce / the duke maryed the lady Custaunce of Spaygne / and in her dayes the duke kepte to his concubyne this la¦dy Katheryne of Ruet / who hadde maryed a knyght of Englande / who was as than deed / and the duke had by her thre chyldren / two son¦nes and a doughter / the eldest called Iohan / otherwyse lorde Beauforde of Lancastre / the duke loued hym entyerly / the other was cal∣led Thomas / the duke brought him vp at As∣que / he was a good clerke and connynge in bothe lawes / he was a great iuryst and legyst / and was after bysshoppe of Lyncolne. The duke of Lancastre for the loue he had to his chyldren / he wedded their mother the lady Ka¦theryn of Ruet / wherof there was moche mar¦ueyle

bothe in Englande and in Fraunce / for she was but of a base lynage / in regarde to the two other wyues. And whan the knowledge of the maryage of the duke to this lady Ka∣teryne of Ruet was come to the great ladyes of Englande / as the duchesse of Gloucestre / the countesse of Derby / the countesse of Arun¦dell / and other ladyes dyscended of the blode royall of Englande / they meruayled moche / and layd gret blame to the duke for that dede / and sayde / howe the duke of Lancastre was greatly to dysprayse / to mary his concubyne / for by reason therof she shulde be the seconde person in honoure in Englande / wherby they sayd the quene shulde be shamefully acompa∣nyed / and sayde howe surely they wolde nat come in to no place where she shulde be pre∣sente / and more ouer they sayde / it shulde be a great shame for theym / that suche a duchesse come of so base a blode (and concubyne to the duke in his other wyfes dayes) shulde go and haue the preemynence before them / they sayde their hertes shulde breke for sorowe. bothe the duke of Gloucestre and the duchesse his wyfe spake of this mater / and sayd howe the duke of Lancastre was nat wyse / but fowle ouer∣sene to marry his concubyne / and sayde they wold neuer do her honoure / nor call her su∣ster. The duke of yorke passed it ouer lyghtly ynough / for he was euer lyghtly resydente a∣boute the kynge and with the duke of Lanca∣stre. The duke of Gloucestre was of a nother maner / for he sette by no man / though he were yongest brother / he was orgulous and pre∣sumptuous of maner / and therto be enclyned his nature / and alwayes agaynst the kynges opynions and his counsaylours. Thus this lady Kateryne of Ruet was duchesse of Lan∣castre / and was as the seconde persone in En∣glande / and was moche aboute the kynge / as she that knewe moche honour / for in her youth and all her dayes she had ben brought vp ther¦in / and the Duke loued greatly the chyldren that he had by her / and that he shewed well in his lyfe and after his dethe.

YE haue herde here before howe iugement of the parliament was gyuen agaynst syr Peter of Cra∣on / and howe he was condemp∣ned in a hundred thousande fran¦kes / to be payed to the Quene of Napoles. Whan the sayde syr Peter sawe howe he was condempned he was sore abasshed / for outher he muste paye the sōme / or els abyde styll pri∣soner. Than he was counsayled by the duke of Burgoyne and by the duchesse / y^t he shulde requyre the yonge quene of Englande to be meane for hym to the quene of Napoles / that he myght be released oute of prysone fyftene dayes to go abrode in Parys / to sewe to his frendes to pay his fynaūce / or els to fynd sure¦ties for him tyll he myght go in to Bretaygne to gather amonge his frendes the same sōme. So at the desyre of the yonge quene of En∣glande / the quene of Napoles was contente that he shulde go all the day abrode in Paris / and at nyght alwayes to yelde hymselfe pri∣soner in to the castell of Lowre / and there to remayne all the night. After this rate he went abrode and sewed to many of his blode and frendes / but he coulde fynde none that wolde abyde there prisoner for hym / the sōme was so great. And at the ende of the fyftene dayes he was fayne to returne prisoner bothe day and nyght / and was kept streyghter than he was before at his cost and charge.

NOwe lette vs a lytell speke of the iourney of therle of Neuers and the lordes of Fraunce / and what they dyd the same sōmer in Hun¦gery. And after we shall speke of the goynge in to Frese of the erle of Haynalte and the erle of Ostrenaunt. The erle of Ne∣uers and his company / with many valyaunt men that he had of Fraunce and of other coun¦treys / whan they were come in to Hungery in to a great cytie called Bode / the kyng of Hun¦gery made them good chere / and well they de∣serued it / for they were come farre of to se him. The entensyon of the kynge was / that or he sette forwarde with his puyssaunce / and with the ayde of Fraunce to entre in to the felde / to here fyrste some newes fro the great turke cal∣led Lamorabaquy / who had sent hym worde in the moneth of February that surely he wol∣de be in Hungery or the ende of the moneth of Maye / and that he wolde passe the water of Dunce / of whiche message many had great marueyle. And some sayde that there is in a manner nothynge but that man maye do it / consyderynge that the turke is valyaunt and puyssaūt / and desyreth moche dedes of armes

therfore sythe he hath said it by all lykelyhode he wyll do it / and if he passe nat the Dunce to come hyther to this syde / than lette vs passe ouer and entre in to Turkey with puyssaūce / for the kynge of Hungery with suche ayde as he hath of straungers / shall well make an hun¦dred thousande men / and suche a nombre of suche men are well able to conquere all Tur∣key / and to go in to the empyre of Perce / and if we may haue one iourney of vyctory vpon the great turke / we shall do after what we lyst and shall conquere Surey / and all the holy lande of Iherusalem / and shall delyuer it fro the handes of the Sodayne and the enemyes of god / for at the sōmer nexte commynge / the Frenche kynge and the kynge of Englande / who wyll conioyne togyther / shall reyse vp a great nombre of men of armes and of archers and shall fynde the passages open to receyue them / than nothyng shall abyde before vs / but all shall be conquered and put in oure obey∣saunce / whan we shall go all togyther. Thus deuysed the Frenche men that were in the re∣alme of Hungery.

WHan the moneth of May was come trustynge to here tydynges of La∣morabaquy the greate Turke / the kynge of Hungery sent to the passages of the ryuer of Dunce / and sent through out his re∣alme to assemble his puissaunce togyder / and the lordes of the Rodes came to hym strong∣ly / and all the moneth of May they taryed for the comyng of the sarazyns / but no tydynges coulde be herde of them. Than the kynge of Hungery sente suche as knewe the countrey beyonde the ryuer of Dunce / to serche to haue sōme tydynges of the great turke. Suche as wente sertched all the countrey beyonde the Brase of saynt George / and to the marches of Alexaundre / of Damas / and Antyoche / but they coulde here no newes of Lamorabaquy nor of none army towarde. Than they retour¦ned and shewed the king what they had herde and sene. Than the kynge assembled his coun¦sayle / and called the lordes of Fraunce / who desyred to do dedes of armes. The kyng she∣wed them howe he had sente men in to Tur∣key to haue knowlege what his enemies dyd / and howe they coulde here no tydinges of La¦morabaquy / nor no lykelyhode of his apro∣chyng / for all y^e promesse he had made to passe the Dunce / and to entre in to Hūgery to sight with the Crysten men or mydde May shulde passe / wherfore the kynge demaunded what counsayle they wolde gyue hym to do. Than the lorde of Coucy for all the other / sayd. Syr though Lamorabaquy come nat forwarde a∣cordynge to his promesse / and maketh but a ••ape therof / yet that ought nat to lette vs to do dedes of armes / and to pursue our enemyes / seynge we be assembled to y^t purpose. Thus all the frenchmen / almayns / and other straun¦gers shewed well howe they had great desyre to seke out Lamorabaquy to fyght with him / whiche was to their great honour. The lorde of Coucyes wordes were affyrmed by all the straungers / it was all their opynyons howe they coulde enploye their season and tyme no better. Than it was ordeyned by the kynge and by his marshalles that euery man shulde prepare hymselfe to be redy to sette forwarde at a daye assygned / whiche was the vtas of saynt Iohan the baptyst. Than offycers and other seruauntes aparelled for their maisters all thynges necessary / and the Frenche men thynkynge to be fresshe and gay / spared nou∣ther Golde nor syluer. Their departure fro Bode the soueraygne cytie of Hungery was goodly to regarde. The constable of Hunge∣ry had the vowarde with a great nombre of hungaryons and almayns with him / bycause he knewe the countreys. And nexte after hym rode the frenche menne with the constable of Fraunce / the erle de la Marche / the lorde of Coucy / syr Henry and syr Phylyppe of Bare and dyuers other. And with the kynge rode the great lordes of his countrey / as reasone was / and besyde the kyng rode Iohan of Bur¦goyne / & often tymes deuysed with the kyng. They were in the felde a threscore thousande horse / they hadde but fewe a foote / sauynge suche as were folowers. The company of the crysten men were noble and well ordred / and of Hungery there were many crosebowes a horsebacke. the army iourneyed so longe that they came to the ryuer of Dunce / and passed ouer in shyppes and barges / and suche brid∣ges as they had ordeyned for that purpose. It was eight dayes or they were all passed ouer / and as they passed they lodged theym / euery company taryenge for other. This ryuer of Dunce departeth y^e realmes of Hungery and Turkey a sonder.

WHan the christen men were all ouer and nothynge taryed behynde / and were in the frōters of Turkey / they greatlye reioysed and desyred greatly to do dedes of armes. There they toke counsayle and determyned to go and ley siege to a tow¦ne in Turkey called Coniecte. And as they ordayned so they dyde / & besieged it as they myght well do / for it stode in a playne coun∣trey / and a ryuer ioynynge to it with shyp∣pes theron / called Necte: the heed cōmynge out of Turkey / and fallynge in to the see at the ryuer of Dunce. The ryuer of Dunce is a great Ryuer of thre hundred myles in length / fro the begynnynge tyll it entre in to the See. Whiche were the moost profytable ryuer in all the worlde / for the realme of Hū¦gry / if the shyppes that be theron myght is∣sue out therof in to the See / but they can nat For in the mouthe therof whan they shulde issue in to the see / there is in the ryuer a moū∣tayne whiche departeth the ryuer in two {per}∣tes / and maketh suche brute and noyse / that it maye well be herde seuyn myle of / and for that cause there is no shyppe y^t dare aproche nere to it. I longe by this ryuer syde there be fayre medowes and pastures / wherby all the countrey is well serued / and dyuers vy∣nes / whiche in seasone make good wynes / whiche the Turkes do make and putte in to Goot skynnes / and selleth it vnto Christen men: For accordyng to their lawe / they dare drinke no wyne to be knowen. It is defen∣ded them on payne of lyfe. But they eate the reysynges / and they haue other good frutes and spyces / wherof they make drinke / and vse greatly to drinke Gootes mylke / whiche refressheth theym in the hote season. Thus the kynge of Hungry and his hoost lodged before the cytie of Coniecte at their ease and pleasure / for no manne troubled their siege. And whan they came before the Cytie / they foūde the frutes rype / the whiche was great pleasure to them. They made to this Cytie dyuers assautes / and they within defended them selfe / trustyng dayly to haue ayde and socour of Lamorabaquy their lorde / to reyse the siege with puyssaunce. But he dyde nat / wherby the Cytie was taken by force of as∣saute / and distroyed with great slaughter of men / women / and chyldren. For the chri∣sten men that entred hadde no mercy nor py∣tie. Whan̄e this Cytie was thus wonne / the kyng of Hungry dislodged and wente for∣warde in to Turkey / and was determyned to go and ley siege to a great cytie called Ni¦copoly. and as they rode / they foūde in their waye the towne of Quayre / and layde siege to it fyftene dayes or it was won / but final∣lye it was won by assaute / & clene distroyed. And so passed forthe / and in their waye they founde another towne and a stronge castell called Brehappe / and a knyght of Turkey was lorde therof / and was within the castell to defende it. The kyng and his army were lodged within a myle where was a fayre ry∣uer / and about the towne there was none. There the erle of Neuers was made knight and reysed his banner / and with hym were made mo than thre hundred knyghtes / & all they & their companies went before Brehap / and besieged it and wan the towne perforce within four dayes / but nat the castell it was so strong. The lorde of Brehap saued moche of his people byforce of the castell / who was called Corbodas / a right valyant knyght / & he had other thre bretherne / one named Ma∣ladius / another Balachius / & the thirde Ru¦fyn. After this towne was won / the christen men were before the castell seuyn dayes and made dyuers assautes / but they loste more than they wanne. The foure knyghtes bre∣therne y^t were within / shewed well by their defence / that they were valyant men. Whan the Frenche men hadde consydred well the force of the castell / and the valyaunt ordr••••∣ge of the turkes within / and the defence that they made / They sawe well than̄e they loste their payne / and so dislodged / for they had knowledge howe the kyng of Hungry wol∣de go and laye siege to the stronge towne of Nicopolye. Thus the siege before Brehap brake vp / and they within the Castell were in peace but the towne was clene brent. than the erle of Neuers and all the lordes of Frā∣ce resorted to the kynges armye / ordring thē selfe to go to Nicopoly.

WHan̄e Corbodas of Brehappe sawe the siege brokenne vp / he was right ioyfull / and sayde to his cōpany. We nede no more to fere this season though my tow¦ne be brent and exiled / I shall right well re∣couer

it agayne / but of one thynge I mar∣u••yle greatly. and that is •• that I can here no newes fro my lorde the kyng Besant / called Lamorabaquy. for the last tyme that I sawe hym in the cytie of Nicopoly / he sayde vnto me / that this May tyme he wolde be in this countrey / and had entencyon to passe with a great puyssaunce the brase of saynt George / and to go in to Hūgry to fight with the chri∣sten men / and so he ••ent worde to the kyng of Hungry / and yet he hath done nothyng. and thervpon they of Hūgry be fortifyed / and ha¦ue as nowe great socour out of Fraūce / and haue passed the ryuer of Dunce / and are en∣tred in to Turkey / and haue and do distroye the countre / for there is no resistence made a¦gainst thē / & they thinke surely to go and lay siege before Nicopoly. The cytie is stronge ynoughe to resyst the siege a longe season / if it be well defended & kepte. We are here ••our bretherne and knyghtes of the lynage of kyn¦ge Besant / We ought and are bounde to de∣fende his ryght / therfore lette vs order oure selfe / as I shall shewe you. I and my bro∣ther Maladyus / we shall go to the Cytie of Nicopoly / to ayde / to helpe and defende it / & my brother Balachyus shall abyde here to kepe this castell of Brehap / and my brother Rufyne shall passe the brase of saynt George and go seke out Lamorabaquy / & shewe him euery thynge that is past & done / and aduyse hym for his honoure to entēde to defende his herytage / & to come with suche puyssaunce / that maye resyst the christen men / and to bre∣ke their purpose / or els he shall lese y^e realme of Armony / whiche he hath conquered / and his owne countrey also. For by all ymagy∣nacyon the kynge of Hungry and the Chri∣sten men are gadered / to thentent to do some great enterprice. His thre bretherne agreed to his sayeng. On this apoyntment they pre¦pared them selfe to departe.

SO in this season siege was laid before Nicopolye / and Corbo∣das of Brehappe & Maladyus his brother / came and entred in to Nicopoly / wherof they of the cytie were ryght ioyfull / and Balachyus a∣bode styll at Brehappe to kepe the castell. & Rufyn whan he sawe tyme be nyght he pas∣sed the Christen army / for he knewe well the countre / and passed ouer the brase saynt Ge∣orge / and ••erched for Lamorabaquy / and the same season he was at Quayre with the sou∣dane of Babylone / to haue ayde of men of hym. Rufyn foūde this turke there / & whan kynge Besant sawe hym he had marueyle / and thought surely he shulde here some ne∣wes out of Turkey. Than̄e he demaunded what tidynges. sir quod Rufyn / all the coū∣trey desyreth sore to se you there / for y^e kyng of Hungry with puissaunce hath passed the ryuer of Dunce / and is entred in to Turkey and hath done great dōmage and hath brent and assayled a fyue or sixe of your closed tow¦nes. And whan I departed fro Brehappe / he was in purpose to go and leye siege to Ni¦copoly. Corbodas and Maladyus my bro∣ther / with suche men of warre as they haue / are en••red in to Nicopoly to helpe to defēde the towne / & my brother Balachyus is styll at Brehappe / to kepe the castell there. And sir / of suretie there is in the company with the kynge of Hungry / the goodlyest armye and best apoynted come out of Fraunce that euer was sene. Wherfore sir / it behoueth you to assemble your hoost and frendes / and re∣tourne in to Turkey / to cause your enemyes to retourne agayne ouer the ryuer of Dūce / and ye do it nat with gret puyssaūce / it wyll be harde to bring it about. What nombre be they quod Lamorabaquy? sir quod he / they be mo than a hundred thousande / & the good lyest men o•• the worlde / and best armed / and all on hors backe. Lamorabaquy gaue none answere / but entred in to the Soudans chā¦bre / and shewed the Soudane all the hole mater / as his knyght had shewed hym. than the soudane sayd. We must prouyde for it / ye shall haue men ynowe to resyst thē. Nedes we must defēde our lawe and our herytage. That is true sir quod Lamorabaquy.

NOwe my desyres arre come to passe / for I haue alwayes desyred none o∣ther thynge / but that the kynge of Hungry with his puissaunce / myght ones come ouer the ryuer of Dunce / and entre in to Turkey. In the begynnynge I wyll suffre a season / but at the ende they shall paye for the scotte. Of all this I hadde knowledge four mone∣thes paste / by my great Frende the lorde of Myllayne / who sente me Go. haukes / Ger∣faucons /

and faucons / to the nombre of .xii. whiche were the best and fayrest that euer I sawe. And with this present he wrote to me by name / all the heedes and chiefe capitayns of the barones of Fraunce / suche as shulde come to make me warre. In the whiche let∣ters was also conteyned / that if I might get them in my daunger / they shulde be worthe to me a myllyon of floreyns. And also / howe there shulde be in their company of the lymy¦tees of Fraunce / mo than fyue hūdred knigh¦tes / valyaunt men of armes. Also the Duke of Myllaygne wrote / that surely they wyll gyue me batayle / wherfore I wyll prepare to mete with them / by arte / aduise / and good ordynaunce / for they are men of great feate / and so valiaunt in armes / that they wyll nat flye nor recule / they are worthy o•• thanke to issue out of their owne nacyon by valyaunt∣nesse / to fynde dedes of armes. And I truste to accōplysshe their desyres within thre mo∣nethes / so that they shall haue ynoughe to do.

TO cōsydre these wordes / one ought greatly to marueyle / that the Lorde Galeas erle of Vertues and Duke of Myllayne (who was reputed to be a chri¦sten man / baptysed and regenerate after the Christen Lawe) wolde seke or requyre lo∣ue or alyaunce with a kynge myscreant / out of our lawe and faythe / or to sende hym gyf∣tes and presentes / as he dyde euery yere: As dogges / haukes / and fyne lynen clothes / whi¦che are ryght plesaunt to the Sarazins / for they haue none but that cometh fro our par∣ties. Also the great Turke sent to hym aga∣yne other presentes of ryche clothe of golde and precyous stones / wherof the Sarazins haue great plentie. But in those dayes the erle of Vertues duke of Myllayne and sir Galeas his father reygned as tyrantes / and so helde their signories.

It is marueyle to thynke of their dedes / and fyrste howe they entred and opteygned the signorie of Myllayne. So it was there were thre bretherne / the lorde Manfres / the lorde Galeas / and the lorde Barnabo. They hadde an vncle who was archebysshoppe of Myllayne. And so it fortuned / that whan y^e lorde Charles of Lusenbourge kyng of Bo∣esme and of Almayne & emperour of Rome / who reigned after kyng Loyes of Bauyer / who opteygned to the Empyre byforce / for he was neuer taken as Emperour by y^e chur¦che / but excōmunycate and a cursed by pope Innocent / who reygned as than̄e. For this Loyes of Bauyer went to Rome and made hymselfe to be crowned emperour by a pope and .xii. cardynalles that he made. And as soone as he was crowned / he made the Al∣mayns to be payed their wages / to ouer ryn Rome and to robbe and to pyll it. this was the rewarde that the romayns had for recey¦uyng of hym / wherfore he dyed excōmunicat and in that sentence. The pope and cardy∣nalles that he made / without any constreyn•• came after to Auignon / and submytted them selfes to pope Innocent / who reigned before Vrbayne the fyfthe / and there were assoyled of their errours. ¶Nowe to purpose howe the lordes of Myllayne came fyrst to that si∣gnorie / I shall shewe you howe.

SO it was / the archebysshoppe of Myllayne / at a tyme recey∣ued kynge Charles of Boesme emperour / in to y^e cytie of Myl¦layne nobly and tryumphant∣lye / after the Emperour had been before Axe the Chapell / and had accomplysshed there his .xl. dayes / accordyng to the vsage in the case parteyning / and for the great chere that he made to the Emperour / and for a hundred thousande ducates that he lent to the Empe∣rour. He made the bysshop vycoūt of Myl∣layne and his nephewes after hym for euer / to holde the lande and signorie of Mylayne free at his wyll / vnto the tyme that the Em∣perour hadde payde agayne at one tyme the sayd sōme of a hundred thousande ducates. And so after the bysshoppe dyed / and y^e lorde Manfres his nephue / by the accorde of the Emperour and for loue of his vncle / was re¦ceyued in to the signorie of Myllayne. than his two bretherne / who as than were nat ve¦ry riche / the lorde Galeas and the lorde Bar¦nabo / counsayled toguyder & determyned to reigne / and to holde the landes of Lōbardy bytwene thē / and to cōioyne thē by mariage to some great lordes to maynteyne their esta¦tes / and to cause men to feare their displea∣sures. And so they caused their brother Mā¦frese to be slayne by venyme / or otherwyse /

after whose dethe they reygned puissauntly byforce and polycy. All their dayes they ly∣ued in good accorde toguyder / and depar∣ted the cyties of Lombardy bytwene them. The lorde Galeas hadde tenne / bycause he was the eldest and the lorde Bernabo nyne. And the cytie of Myllayne was gouerned one yere by the one brother and another yere by the other brother. And to the entent to rei¦gne puissauntly / they sought the wayes to gader great rychesse by raysinge vp in pos∣syons / subsydies / and gabelles / and many other yuell customes / wherby they gadered great store of golde and syluer. and they cau¦sed their townes and cyties to be kepte with soudyours straungers / as Almaygnes / Frē¦che men / Bretons / Englysshmen / and of all other nacyons / excepte their owne countrey men / for they hadde no trust nor affiaunce in them / for feare of rebellyon agaynst thē. and these soudyours were payed fro moneth to moneth / wherby they were so douted and fe∣red of the people / that none durste displease them. For if any dyd ryse or dyde any thyng agaynst them / there was cruell vengeaunce taken vpon them. They distroyed many a one in their dayes / to gyue ensāple to other.

IN all their signories no man hadde any thynge but atte their pleasure / They wolde tayle a ryche man thre or foure tymes in a yere. They sayd that lō∣bardes were ouer proude and presūptuous / in their richesse / wherfore it was behouable to kepe them vnder subiection / no man durst saye nay to any thyng that they cōmaunded.

These two bretherne maryed them hygh∣lye / and bought their wyues with the good{is} and substaunce of their people. The lorde Galeas hadde to wyfe the suster of the good erle of Sauoye / named Blaunche / & payde to the erle for her a hundred thousande duca∣tes. The lorde Barnabo maryed hym in Al∣maygne / to the suster of the duke of Bresny∣che / and payde no lesse money than his bro∣ther dyd. These two bretherne hadde many chyldren / and maryed them highly and riche¦lye / to atteyne therby great alyaunces. The lorde Galeas had a sone called Galleas / and as than the father vnderstode that whā kyn∣ge Iohan of Fraunce was come out of En∣glande / and put to raūsome to .xxx.C. thou∣sand frankes / and they of Fraunce wyst nat howe to reyse the fyrste payment. Than̄e he treated with the Frenche kynge and his coū¦sayle to haue one of his doughters for Ga∣leas his sonne. The kynge and his coūsayle entended to this treatie / bycause they knewe well this lorde Galeas was grounded in ri∣chesse / and thus he bought the kyng{is} dough∣ter for sixe hundred thousande frankes / whi∣che were tourned in payment to the Kynge of Englande. And so his sonne maryed kyn¦ge Iohans doughter / and to hym was gy∣uen the countie and erldome of Vertues in Champaygne. Of that sonne and doughter issued a doughter / whiche byforce of golde and syluer was maryed to the seconde sonne of kynge Charles of Fraunce / called Loyes duke of Orlyaunce erle of Bloyes and Va∣loyes. The maryage cost the erle of Vertus father to the sayde lady / tenne hundred thou¦saunde frankes. And the countie of Bloyes was bought of the erle Guye of Bloyes: as it hath ben conteyned here before in this hy∣storie. Thus these lordes / Galeas and Bar¦nabo / acorded right well toguyder all their lyue dayes: they neuer varyed nor their peo¦ple toguyder / therfore they reigned in great puissaunce. No man coude haue reason nor right of them / Pope / cardynalles / nor other that made any warre agaynst them / sauyng alonely the marques of Moūtferant / & that was by the meanes of the lorde Iohan Ha∣con / and the Englysshe men with the routes of the companyons / whiche Iohan Hacon brought them out of Prouynce in to Lom∣bardy / and made there great warre.

THan at last dyed this lorde Ga∣leas / and after hym reigned his sonne erle of Vertues / named Galeas in great puyssaūce. and at the begynnyng of his reigne he gate him great loue in Lombardy / and or / dred hymselfe after a goodly maner and like a wyse man. He put downe all suche yuell cu¦stomes as his father had reysed in Lōbardy He was so well beloued and of so good re∣nome that euery man sayd well of hym / but at laste whan̄e he sawe his tyme / he spytted out his venyme / whiche he had longe borne in his hert. For he made on a day in y^e feldes a great busshement / wherby the lorde Ber∣nabo

his vncle was takē who thought none yuell / nor knewe nat but that he was welbe∣loued / and in great fauour with his nephue. And at his takyng it was sayd to hym. One lorde is ynough to reygne in Lombardy / he coude haue none other grace / for it laye nat in hym as than̄e to make resystence. So he was ledde to a castell / and there his nephue caused hym to dye / but in what maner I can nat shewe you. This sir Bernabo had two fayre chyldren / of whom the Frenche quene was doughter / to one of his doughters whi¦che was wedded to the duke of Osrtenaunt of Bauyere. This Galeas putte in prisone all his vncles chyldren / suche as he coulde gette / and tooke possessyon of all his vncles seignories / and ioyned thē to his owne / & so reigned in great puyssaunce & richesse / for he reysed vp suche maters / wherby he gathered toguyder great rychesse: As Imposycions / gabels / subsydies / dysmes / and all other ex∣torcyons / wherby he was moche more dreed than beloued. He helde the errour and opy∣nyon of his Father (that was) Howe one shulde nother honoure nor worshyppe god. He tooke fro abbeyes and priories moche of their reuenewes / and toke them to hym selfe. He sayd the monkes were to delyciously no¦risshed with good wynes and delycious me¦tes. By whiche superfluyteis (he sayd) they coude nat ryse at mydnight / nor do their ser∣uyce as they shulde do. He sayde: saynt Be∣net helde nat the order of his relygion after that maner. And so (he said) he wolde make them to lyue with egges and small wyne / to clere their voyces to syng the higher. These lordes in their dayes lyued lyke popes: they dyde great dispytes in their tyme to men of holy churche: They sette nothyng by the po∣pes curse / and specially after y^e cisme began / and that there was two popes: that the one cursed the other assoyled. The lordes of myl¦layne dyde but mocke at their doynges / and so dyd many other lordes through y^e worlde. The doughter of this lorde Galeas duke of Myllayne was duches of Orl aūce / whose condycions were lyke to her fathers and nat to her mothers / who was doughter to kyng Iohan of Fraunce. This lady was of high mynde / enuyous and couytous / on the dely∣tes & state of this worlde. Gladly she wolde haue sene the duke her husbande to haue at∣taygned to the crowne of Fraunce / she had nat cared howe. A generall fame and sclaun¦der ran vpon her / that all the infyrmiteis the kyng had / whiche no phisycion coude reme∣dye / came all by her sortes and artes / and the chiefe discouerynge of her workes / wherby she was had in great suspecte was this.

THis duchesse of Orlyaunce named Valantyne had a sonne by the duke her husbande / a fayre chylde of the age of the Dolphyn / sonne to the kynge. On a tyme these two chyldren were playeng toguyder in the duchesse of Orlyaunce cham¦bre / and sodaynly there was caste downe an apple full of poyson on the pauement / on the same syde y^t the dolphyn was on / to thentent that he shulde haue taken and eaten it. But as grace was he dyd nat / for the duches son̄e ran after the apple and toke it / and ete therof wherwith he was poysoned and dyed / no∣thynge coude saue hym. And suche as hadde Charles the yong dolphyn to kepe toke hym thens / and he neuer came after in the duches chambre. Of this aduēture great brute and murmuracyon ran throughe all the cytie of Parys / and in other places. Thus it was sayde by her of all the people / so that the du∣ke her husbande parceyued it well / for brute ranne through Parys / that if her husbande dyde nat putte her awaye out of the kynges courte / they wolde fetche her awaye byforce / and cause her to dye. For the people said she wolde enpoyson the kyng and his chyldren / and that she hadde enchaunted the kyng / for the kyng in all his infyrmyteis wolde nat se the quene / nor none other woman / but all on¦lye this duchesse of Orlyaunce. Vpon whi∣che sayeng and for doute therof / her husbāde had her awaye / and put her out of the house of saynt Poule in Parys / and sente her to a castell besyde Parys vpon the waye of Bea∣uoyes / called Asynyers. And there she was kepte a longe season / and neuer wente out of the castell / and at last she was sent fro thens to Newcastell on the ryuer of Loyre. And y^e duke of Orlyaunce had great displeasure to her / bycause of the aduēture of y^e dethe of his son / but by reason y^t he had other chyldren by her / sōwhat it brake his displeasure. These tidynges came to Myllayne / and the lorde Galeas was enfourmed howe his doughter

was in trouble and in great daunger / wher∣of he was sore displeased with the Frenche kyng and his counsayle. Than he sent a suf∣fycient messanger / as sir Iaquemont of We∣ryne and other to Parys / to y^e kyng and his counsayle / in excusyng his doughter / sayeng that if any persone wolde accuse her of tray∣son / he shulde be fought with all at vttraūce in that quarell. Whan these messangers cāe to Parys / the kynge was in good helth / but he tooke no hede of those messangers / nor of their excuse: and so they were shortely aun∣swered nothyng to their pleasure. So they retourned in to Lombardy / and declared to the duke of Myllayne all that they had sene and done. Than the duke was in gretter dis¦pleasure than he was before / and reputed it a great iniury / and than sent his defyaunce to the Frenche kynge / and to all the hole Re∣alme of Fraunce. And whan his defyaunces were brought to Parys / the lordes & knigh∣tes with the Frenche armye were as than in Hūgry / and entred in to Turkey. And for y^e dispyte and hate that the duke of Myllayne had to the Frenche kynge and to some of his counsayle / therfore he helde in amyte and a∣lyaunce the great Turke / and shewed hym of the secretes of Fraūce. ¶Nowe we shall leaue spekynge of the duke / and speke of the great Turke and of the barons of Fraunce / and of other Christen knyghtes / that were as than in Turkey. ∴ ∴