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 great assemble that was made in the cytie of Reyns / as well by the emperour as of the realme of Fraūce / on the state of holy churche. Cap. CC.xxvii. (Book 227)

THe same seasone there was a great assēble of gret lordes in the cytie of Rey∣nes / what of lordes of the empyre and of Fraunce / to the entent to bring the chur¦che to a peace and reste / for the frenche kynge dyd so moche / that at his re∣quest his cosyn the kynge of Almayne came to the cytie of Reynes with his counsayle / and bycause they wolde nat haue it brewted that they assembled there all onely for the mater by

twent the popes / the one at Rome and the o∣ther at Auygnon / they made it to be noysed that they came thyder to treate for a maryage of the sonne of y^e marques of Blācquebourge with the doughter of the duke of Orlyaunce. This Marques was brother to the kynge of Almayne. The frenche kyng lay at the arche∣bysshoppes palayes and there was with hym the dukes of Orlyaūce / Berrey / and Burbon / therle of saynt Powle and dyuers other hygh barones and prelates of Fraunce. And whan the kinge of Almayne entred in to the cytie / all the lordes and prelates (and kynge Charles of Nauer / who was in lykewyse there) went to mete with hym / and receyued hym honou∣rably. Fyrste they brought hym to our lady churche and after in to the abbey of saynt Re∣my / there the kynge of Almayne laye and his lordes aboute hym. And it was ordeyned by the frenche kinge / that what so euer the kynge of Almayne spent shulde be at the frenche kyn¦ges cost. The almayns had euery day delyue¦red theym ten tonne of herynge / for it was in Lent tyme / and eyght hundred carpes besyde other fysshes / whiche was a great charge.

WHan the kyng of Almayne came first to the frenche kynge / all the lordes went for hym to saynt Remy / and so brought him to y^e kynges palays. Whan these two kynges mette they made great honoure eche to other / and great reuerence / and specy∣ally the frenche kynge / for almayns of nature are rude and grose manered / without it be to take their profyte / therto they be experte and redy ynough. All the lordes of Fraunce and of Almayne toke acquayntaunce eche with o∣ther / with louyng wordes and countinaunce / and the frenche kynge made the kynge of Al∣mayne and his company a great dyner / at one table there sate / fyrst the patryarke of Iheru∣salem / than the king of Almayne & the frenche kynge / and the kynge of Nauer / there sate no mo at that table. At the other tables sate the lordes and prelates of Almayne: No lorde of Fraūce sate that day / but sarued. To the kyn∣ges borde the meate was brought by the du∣kes of Berrey & of Burbone / the erle of saynt Powle / and by other great lordes of Fraūce. The duke of Orlyaūce set euery man downe. Vessell of golde and syluer ranne plentuously through the palays / as though it had ben but of wode or erthe / it was a sumptuous dyner. And as I was enfourmed the frenche kynge gaue to his cosyn the kyng of Almayne all the vessell and plate of gold and syluer / that was serued that day in the palays at the dresser or elswhere / and all other hangynges and haby∣lymentes in the hall and chambre / whervnto the kynge retrayed after dynner / and spyces and wyne taken. This gyft was praysed and valewed to two hundred thousande florayns / and more ouer there was gyuen to the other almayns / great gyftes and goodly presentes of vessell and plate of golde and syluer / wher∣of the straungers that were there had great marueyle of the state and puyssaunce / & great ryches of the realme of Fraūce. These kinges thus abydynge in the cytie of Reynes / their counsayles mette togyther dyuers tymes on the maters that they came thyder for / as well for the maryage of the duke of Orlyaunces doughter with the Marques of Blancque / bourges sonne / as for the reformacyon of the churche. At laste the maryage was concluded and openly publysshed through the cytie / but as for the mater consernynge the popes / there was nothynge knowen therof out of the coun¦sayle / for all that was concluded in the coun∣sayle was kept secrete. Afterwarde I was en¦fourmed / how it was agreed that maister Pe¦ter Daylly bysshop of Cambraye / shulde go in legacyon fro the frenche kynge and fro the kynge of Almayne to Rome / to hym that was called pope Bonyface / that he shulde submyt hym selfe to haue a newe electyon of a pope / and in lykewyse to y^e other pope at Auygnon. And if so be that any of them wolde nat agree therto / to abyde the ordre of these two kynges he to be dysgrated & all ryghtes of the churche to be kepte fro hym / and the frenche kynge to comprise to his agrement his sonne in lawe the kynge of Englande / and the kynge of scot¦tes / kynge Henry of Spayne / kynge Iohan of Portugale / kynge Charles of Nauer / and the kyng of Aragon. and y^e kinge of Almayne shulde compryse his brother Loys kynge of Hungery / and all the realme of Boesme and Almayne to Pruce. And it was ordeyned that whan this bysshop of Cambrey was retour∣ned fro the sōmonyng of these two popes / than he to go in to all the sayd realmes their alyes. Thus these two kynges sware to holde with∣out varyacyon or let. Thus ended their coun∣sayle

at that tyme. The kynges and lordes de¦parted amyably / and euery man tooke leaue and departed and went home.

AT this counsayle at Reynes the duke of Burgoyne was nat nor wolde nat be•• for he sayd before that it was but a payne / and a thynge loste to gyue any thynge to the almayns / for they kepe no promesse nor coue∣naūt / howe be it for all the dukes wordes there was nothynge left / for the mater went forthe as ye haue herde. And anon after the bysshop of Cambraye made hym redy / and tooke his waye to Rome. Also the frenche kynge sent a great ambassade in to Englande to se y^e kyng and the quene / and to shewe them of this ma∣ter / and so they dyd. And whan they retour∣ned they shewed the frenche kynge howe the kynge of Englande wolde take the same way that the kynge of Almayne and the Frenche kynge wolde do. So they were all concluded if nede were to be as newter. Thus this ma∣ter stode in this case. Kynge Charles of Na∣uer who was in Fraūce to se the kynge his co∣syn / trustyng to recouer his herytage of Nor∣mandy & of the countie of Ewrus / the whiche the Frenche kynge had taken fro hym / as ye haue herde here before / but he coulde nat at∣tayne therto by no meanes / what so euer he shewed or sayd. And whan the kynge of Na∣uerre sawe that he lost his payne and labored in vayne / he toke the mater in great dysplea∣sure / & toke his leaue as sobrely as he coulde / nat well contente with the frenche kynge nor with his counsayle / and so retourned in to the realme of Nauerre. ¶Nowe lette vs leaue speakynge of them and speke of other accyden¦tes that fell in Englande / wherby folowed so great yuell / that the lyke hath nat ben written of in this hystory / here foloweth the entre and begynnynge of the mater. ∵ ∵