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 mariage of the kyng of Englande to the doughter of Frāce was ordred / and howe the Frenche kyng delyuered his doughter to the kynge of Englande in his Tente by twene Arde & Calys. Cap. CC.xvi. (Book 216)

YE haue herde / howe the kyng of Englande was returned fro Ca∣lis in to Englande / & there was tyll Michelmas that the {per}lyament at Westmyn∣ster shulde begyn. And in the meane season great prouision was made at Calais and at Guysnes / for the kynge and for other lordes sent fro the portes of Englande on that cost / and great prouisyon was had out of Flaun∣ders / all came by see to Calais. In lykewise

for the Frenche kyng and for his brother the duke of Orlyaunce / and his vncles / & other prelates and lordes of Fraunce / great proui∣syon was made at saynt Omers / at Ayre / at Tyrwyn / at Arde / at Mountoyre / and at all other houses and abbeyes there about. there was nothynge spared on bothe parties / and specially the abbey of saynte Bertyne was well replenysshed of all thynges to receyue these kynges. This {per}lyament at Westmyn∣ster began at Mychelmas / and it was ordey¦ned to endure .xl. dayes. But it was abrid∣ged / for the king wolde nat tary there but .v. dayes / wherin he declared the thynges most necessary parteyning to the realme / and spe∣cially that mater that touched hym selfe / and the cause why he cāe fro Calais. That done he retourned towardes Calais agayne / and with hym his two vncles of Lancastre and Gloucestre / and other prelates and lordes of Englande / suche as were cōmaunded to go with him. They spedde them so in their iour¦ney that they came agayne to Calays. The duke of yorke taryed styll in Englande and the erle of Derby / to gouerne the realme in the kynges absence. Whan the kyng of En∣glande was thus returned to Calais / the lor¦des of Fraunce beyng in Picardy were ad∣uertised therof. Than the duke of Burgoyn and the duchesse his wyfe came to saynt O∣mers / and were lodged in the abbey of saynt Bertyne. As sone as the Frēche kyng knewe that the kynge of Englande was come aga∣yne to Calais / he sente to hym therle of saynt Poule / to shewe hym what order was taken in Fraunce / concernyng his maryage / whi∣che the kynge of Englande was gladde to here. Than̄e the duke of Lancastre and his sonne Beauforde of Lancastre. The duke of Gloucester and Affren his sonne / the erle of Rutlande / the erle mashall erle of Huntyng¦ton / the kynges chamberleyne / and many o∣ther lordes / knyghtes / squyers / and ladyes rode with the Erle of saynt Poule to saynt Omers / where they were well receyued of the duke of Burgoyne and of the duchesse / and thyder came the duke of Bretaigne / and had lefte the Frenche kynge at Ayre and his doughter with hym.

ye maye well knowe / all the chere y^t coude be deuysed / was made to the Englysshe lor∣des and ladyes and other at saynt Omers / and the duchesse of Burgoyne made them a great dyner. There was the duchesse of Lā∣castre and her sonne & two doughters. there was great gyftes gyuen of plate of Golde and syluer nothynge was spared / in so mo∣che that the Englysshe men hadde marueyle therof / and specially the duke of Glocestre / & sayd to his coūsayle. I se well there is great rychesse in the realme of Fraunce. there was moche gyuen to hym / to the entente to abate and to molyfie his rancour that he hadde a∣gaynste Fraunce. The lordes of Fraunce knewe well that he was alwayes harde to a¦gre to the peace / wherfore they shewed hym as moche token of loue and honour as they coude do. He toke euer all their gyftes / but alwayes the rancour abode styll in his hert / for all that euer the Frenche men coulde do / they coulde nat molifye his fell stomake / for always he made herde answers as they trea¦ted for any peace. The Frenche men be sub∣tyle / yet for all that they coude gette no hold of hym / for his wordes and aunswers were alwayes so couert / that they wyst nat howe to vnderstāde them. Whan the duke of Bur∣goyne sawe his maner he sayde to his coun∣sayle. We lese all that euer we do to this du∣ke of Gloucestour / for as longe as he lyueth there shalbe no sure peace bytwene Fraūce and Englande. For he shall alwayes fynde newe inuencyons and accydentes / to engen∣der hate and stryfe bytwene bothe realmes / for he entēdeth nor thynketh none other thyn¦ge. If it were nat the truste that we haue in the kyng of Englande / wherby here after to fare the better / the kyng shulde nat haue to his wyfe our cosyn of Fraunce.

WHan the duke and duchesse of Bur∣goyne / the coūtesse of Neuers / the countesse of saynt Poule / and the other lordes and ladyes of Fraunce / hadde greatly feested the lordes and ladyes of En∣glande / than there was cōmunicacion howe these two kynges shulde mete & speke toguy¦der / and howe the lady shulde be delyuered / thervpon apoyntment was made / and leaue taken on all partes. The Englysshe {per}tie re∣turned to Calis to the kyng / & shewed what chere they had / and what presentes had ben gyuen them. These newes pleased well the

kyng / for he was gladde whan he herde any honour spoken of the Frenche kyng / he was so in loue with hym bycause of his dough∣ter / whome he trusted to haue to his Quene. Than anone after the Frenche kyng came to saynt Omers / and was lodged in the abbey of saynt Bertyne / and dislodged all other that were there before / and had the duke of Bretayne in his company. And than it was ordayned that the dukes of Berrey / of Bur∣goyne / and of Burbone shulde go to Calis to speke with the kynge of Englande.

SO they came to Calays / and were ioyouslye receyued / & had as good chere as coulde be deuysed. These thre dukes had secrete communycacion with the kynge and his counsayle / so that many / bothe of Fraunce and of Englande reputed that there was a peace concluded bytwene Fraunce and Englande. And in dede it was nere at a poynt / and the duke of Gloucester agreed well therto / as at that tyme. For the kyng of Englande hadde promysed hym / if he wolde agree to the peace / to gyue his son Affren the erldome of Rochester in herytaū∣ce / and to make hym spende yerely in reue∣newes two thousande pounde sterlyng / and to gyue to hym selfe as soone as he came in Englande in redy money fyftie thousande nobles / so that by reason of these gyftes / the duke of Gloucestours hardnesse was well aleyed. So that the lordes of Fraunce sawe well his opinyons were nat so obstynate as they were before / for they founde hym than swete and meke. Whan̄e euery thynge was ordeygned of that they came for / they tooke leaue of the kynge and other / and retourned to saynt Omers to the Frenche kynge / and shewed howe they hadde spedde. Than the Frenche kyng wente to the bastyde of Arde and the duke of Burgoyne to Mountoyre / and the duke of Bretaygne to the towne of Esque / and the duke of Berrey to Balyng∣ham. And in euery {per}te all aboute there were pyght vp Tentes and Pauilyons / and all the countrey full of people / what of Fraūce and of Englande. The kynge of Englande came to Guysnes and the duke of Lancastre with hym / and the duke of Gloucestre to Hā¦mes. Thus on a Fridaye beyng the euyn of Symon and Iude / in the yere of oure lorde god / a thousande thre hundred fourscore and sixtene / about tenne of the clocke in the fore∣noone. The two Kynges departed oute of their tentes / the which were pyght nat farre asondre / and came a foote the one to y^e other and met at a certayne place that was apoyn∣ted. And on the one syde there was arayn∣ged four hundred knyghtes of Fraunce / ar∣med with their swerdes in their hādes / And on the other parte foure hundred Englysshe knyghtes in lyke maner. So the two kyn∣ges passed through them. The dukes of Lā¦castre and of Gloucestre ledde the Frenche kynge / and the dukes of Berrey and of Bur¦goyne ledde the kynge of Englande. Thus they came foreby the sayd eight hundred kni¦ghtes. And whan the two kynges came iust toguyder / all the eyght hundred knyghtes kneled downe to the grounde / and many of them wepte for ioye. Thus the two kynges mette toguyder bareheeded / and a lytell en∣clyned and tooke eche other by the handes. Than the Frenche kynge ledde the kynge of Englande in to his tente / whiche was noble and ryche / and the four dukes tooke eche o∣ther by the handes and folowed the two kyn¦ges. And other knyghtes after the Frenche men on the one syde / and the Englysshe men on the other syde: And so they stode regar∣dyng eche other in good and humble maner tyll all was done. Than̄e it was ordayned / that on the same place where as the two kyn¦ges tooke eche other by the hande / that there shulde be made and founded a chapell in the honoure of our Lady / and shulde be called our lady of Grace. I can nat tell whether it were made or nat.

SO the two kynges hande in hā¦de entred in to the Frenche kyn¦ges tente. Than the foure du∣kes kneled downe before y^e kyn¦ges and they reysed them vp / & so talked toguyder. Than the two kynges wente a lytell a parte / and talked a certayne space. In the meane tyme wyne and spyces were brought. The duke of Berrey serued the Frenche kynge of spyce / and the duke of Burgoyne of wyne. And the dukes of Lāca¦stre & Glocester serued the kyng of Englād. thā other knightes & squiers serued all other prelates & lordes / so y^t euery man w^tin y^e tent

hadde parte / and in the meane tyme the two kynges cōmuned toguyder. This busynesse done and paste / the two kynges tooke leaue eche of other / and so retourned to their ten∣tes / and tooke their horses and rode towar∣des Calais. The kyng to Guysnes / the du∣kes of Lancastre and Gloucester to Hāmes / and the other to Calais. The Frenche kyng rode to Cordre and the duke of Orlyaunce with hym / the duke of Berrey to Dornam / and the duke of Burgoyne to Mountoyre. So there was no more done that daye / all their tentes stode styll in the feldes.

THan on the Saturdaye on the feest of saynt Symon and Iude / aboute a .xi. of the clocke / the kynge of En∣glande and his vncles / and other lordes cāe to the Frenche kyng in to his tent. they were receyued right honorably / and euery manne talked with his felowe merily. Than tables were sette vp / and the two kynges sat at one table alone / the Frenche kynge on the ryght hande. The dukes of Berrey / of Burgoyne and of Burbone serued the two kynges. thā the duke of Burbone caste forthe many ie∣styng wordes to make the kynges to laughe and suche as were before the table / For this duke was a mery man / and sayd openly / ad∣dressynge his wordes to the kynge of En∣glāde. Sir quod he / ye ought to make good chere / for ye haue all that ye desyre / ye haue your wife or shall haue her deliuered to you Than the Frenche kyng sayd / Burbonoys. We wolde that our doughter were of y^e age that our cosyn of saynt Poule is / on the con∣dicyon that it cost me a great good / than she shulde take my sonne with the better good wyll. The kynge of Englande herde well those wordes / and answered spekyng to the duke of Burbone (bycause the Frēche kyng hadde compared his doughter / to the erle of saynt Poules doughter) and sayd. Sir / the age that my wyfe (that shall be) is of / plea∣seth you right well / we loue nat so moche her herytage / than I do the loue of you & of our realmes / For we two beyng of one accorde / there is no kynge christen nor other / that are able to anoye vs.

This dyner thus done in the Frenche kyn¦ges tent / and after wyne and spyces taken / than the yonge quene was brought forthe / a companyed with a great nombre of ladyes and damoselles / and there she was delyue∣red to the kyng of Englande. Whan y^t was done / euery man toke their leaue to departe. The yonge quene was sette in a ryche lytter and there wente no mo frenche ladyes with her / but the lady of Coucy. There were the ladyes of Englande / the duchesses of Lan∣castre / of yorke / and of Gloucestre / & of Ire∣lande / the lady of Namure / & the lady Poy∣nynges / and a great nombre of other ladies / who receyued the quene with great ioye.

Thus the kyng of Englande and the yonge quene and his company / rode to Calais the same nyght / and the frenche kyng and his cō¦pany to saynt Omers. Than the Tuesdaye after whiche was Alhalowen day / the kyng of Englande maryed the sayd lady Isabell of Fraūce / in the churche of saynt Nicholas in Calais / the archebysshop of Caūterbury wedded theym / at whiche tyme there was a great feest and great largesse. The Thurs∣daye after there came to Calais the dukes of Orlyaunce and of Burbone / to se the kynge and the quene: And on the friday they tooke their leaue and departed / and rode to saynt Omers to the Frenche kyng. And the same day in the mornyng / the kyng and the quene toke their shyppe and hadde fayre passage / they were ouer within thre houres. the kyn∣ge laye in the castell of Douer / and the nexte daye to Rochestre & than to Dartforde / and so to Eltham. Than̄e all lordes and ladyes toke their leaue / and a fiftene dayes after the quene was brought to the cytie of London / accompanyed with many lordes / ladyes and damosels / & laye the fyrst night at the towre of London / and the nexte day cōueyed along throughe the cytie with great solempnyte to the kynges palais of Westmynster / and ther the kyng was before redy to receyue her. the same daye the londoners gaue to the quene great presentes. Than was there ordayned a great iustes to be holden in the cytie of Lō∣don / of .xl. knyghtes and squyers chalēgers / to be holden at Candelmas nexte after / whi∣che was delyuered to the Herauldes to pu∣blysshe on bothe sydes of the realme to Scot¦lande. And whan the Frenche kyng was cōe to Parys after the maryage of his doughter and euery lorde departed home / there ranne

than a great brute through the realme / howe the frenche kyng was in purpose at the begyn¦nynge of Marche / to go with a great army in to Lombardy / to dystroye the lorde Galeas duke of Mylayne / the kyng had suche displea¦sure agaynst hym that no man coulde tourne hym but that he wolde make that voyage / and the kyng of Englande had promysed to sende hym syxe thousande archers. And the duke of Bretaygne had offered to go with hym with two thousande speares bretons. Great prouy¦syon was made for this iourney in the Dol∣phenry of Vyen / and in the countie of Sa∣uoy. Whan the duke of Bretayne departed fro the frenche kynge to retourne in to his coun∣trey / syr Peter of Craon who was condemp¦ned to paye to the quene of Iherusalem a hun¦dred thousande frankes / and was in prison in the castell of Loure in Parys. At the request of the duke of Bretaygne / the duke of Bur∣goyne dyd so moche to the kynge / that by his good meanes the duke of Bretaygne had syr Peter of Craon with hym. I thynke he pro∣mysed to pay the sayd sōme at certayne dayes to the foresayd quene. I wyll nowe leaue this mater / and speke of the aduētures of Turkey. ∴ ∴