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 treatie that had been at Reynes / bitwene the Frenche kyng and the kyng of Almaygne / concer∣nyng the vnyte of the churche was folowed. And howe the bysshoppe of Cābrey was sent by the sayd kyn∣ge to Rome and to Auygnon / to thē that wrote them selfe popes / to thē∣tent that they shulde depose thēselfe fro their papalytes / and submyt thē to the order of these two kynges. Capi. CC .xxxii.

YE haue herde here before / howe y^t kyng of Almaȳne and y^e kyng of Fraunce / & the lordes of thempire and their coūsails had ben at the cytie of Reynes / and there they had dyuers secrete counsayls. and their entencion was / to bring the churche in to a parfyte vnite / for to folowe the way that the churche helde as than. The errour was to great. And also ye haue herde howe may∣ster Peter de Ailly bysshoppe of Cambrey / was sent in legacion to Rome to speke with pope Boniface. he spedde hym so in his iour¦ney that he came to Foūdes / and there foūde pope Boniface / and to hym he delyuered his letters of credence / dyrected fro the kynges of Almaygne and of Fraunce. The pope re∣ceyued them / and the bysshoppe right meke∣lye. The pope knewe well parte of his mes∣sage. Than the bysshoppe declared y^e cause of his cōmynge. Whan the pope hadde well herde hym he sayde / Howe the answere laye nat all onely in hym / but also in all the cardy

nalles that had chosen hym pope. but he said whan he hadde spoken with them by delybe∣rate counsayle / than he wolde make suche an¦swere that he trusted to content them. This aunswere was suffycient for that tyme. The bysshoppe dyned that daye in the popes pa∣lyce / and certayne Cardynalles with hym. Than after the pope departed fro Foundes and went to Rome / and there the pope assem¦bled a conuocacion of the cardynalles in his palyce besyde saynt Peters churche. In this consistorie there were none but the pope and his cardynalles / And there the pope shewed the request that the kynge of Almaygne and the Frenche kyng had made hym by the bys∣shoppe of Cambrey / & there he demaunded coūsaile what answere he shuld make. there were than̄e many reasons alleged / for it se∣med right contrary to the cardinalles to put downe that they hadde made / they sayde it shulde be greatly to their shame and rebuke Than they said to the pope. Holy father / to cause these kynges to be in a good hope / y^t ye wyll obey to the / ye must sōwhat dissymule y^• mater / and saye howe ye wyll gladly obey to all thynge that the kynge of Almaygne / the kyng of Hungry / and the kyng of Englande wyll counsayle you vnto. So that he that is in Auignon / who writeth hym selfe pope Be¦nedic / whom the Frenche kyng and the fren∣chmen vpholde in his errour / that he depose hym of the name of papalyte. And thā wher so euer it shall please the sayde kynges to a∣poynt a cōclaue / ye wyll be redy and all your bretherne the cardynalles. This counsayle pleased well pope Boniface. This was the speciall and generall aunswere that the bys∣shoppe of Cambrey had. And whan the Ro∣mayns vnderstode that y^e kynges of Almay∣gne and of Fraunce / had sente to their pope their ambassade / to haue him to leaue his pa¦palyte / anone there multiplyed great mur∣muracion / through the cytie of Rome. And the Romayns douted greatly to lese the po∣pes siege / whiche was yerely to them a gret profyte. For all pardons that shulde be two yere after / the vantage therof shulde growe to the cytie of Rome. and agaynst that par∣done they had made great prouisyon / wher∣fore they douted lest it shulde haue ben loste / whiche shulde greatly haue ben to their pre¦iudyce. Than the moost notablest persones in Rome assembled togyder / and came to the Pope and shewed hym more signe of loue / than euer they hadde done before / and sayd. Holy father / ye are the trewe pope / therfore lese nat your herytage and patrimony of the churche / the whiche was saynt Peters. take neuer counsayle to the contrarye / but abyde styll as pope. For who soeuer be agaīst you / we shall abyde with you / and ieoparde oure bodyes and goodes / to defende you in youre right. The pope aunswered and sayd. My welbeloued chyldren be of good confort / and be well assured / that I wyll abyde as pope / for any treatie of kynge or kynges to the con¦trary. Thus the Romayns were contented and apeased / and retourned to their houses. The popes answere was alwayes to the bys¦shoppe of Cambrey / that whā he parceyued clerely that Benedic deposed hymselfe / than he said / he wolde be ordred by the sayde kyn∣ges. So the bysshoppe retourned and came in to Almaygne / and founde the kyng at Cō¦ualence / and there he shewed y^e answere that he had at Rome. Than the kyng of Almay∣gne sayde. Well. Shewe all this to our bro¦ther and cosyn the Frenche kynge / and as he ordreth hym selfe so shall I order me / and all the empyre. But as farre as I can se / he must begyn fyrst. And whan he hath putte downe his pope / than we shall putte downe ours. Than the bysshoppe departed fro the kyng / and rode tyll he cāe to Parys / wher he foūde the Frenche kyng. And there the bysshoppe shewed his aunswere whiche was kepte se∣crete / tyll the kyng had assembled toguyder more nōbre of noble men and prelates of his realme / by whome he wolde be counsayled / howe he shulde {per}cede further.

∴ ∴