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 a spyrite called Orthone ser¦ued the lorde of Corasse a long tyme and brought hym euer tidynges frō all partes of the worlde. Cap. xxxvii.

IT is great marueyle to consyder one thynge / the whiche was shewed me in therle of Foiz house at Or∣tayse / of hym that enfour∣med me of the busynesse at Iuberothe / He shewed me one thyng that I haue oftentymes thought on sithe / and shall do as longe as I lyue. As this squyer tolde me / that of trouthe the nexte daye after the bataile was thus fought at Iuberoth the erle of Foiz knewe it / wherof I had great marueyle: For the sayd sonday / monday / and tuesday / therle was very pensyfe / and so sadde of chere / that no man coulde here a worde of hym. And all the same thre dayes he wolde nat issue out of his chambre / nor speke to any man thoughe they were neuer so nere about hym. And on the Tuesday at night he called to hym his brother Arnault Guyllyam / and sayde to hym with a softe voyce. Our men hath had to do wherof I am sorie / for it is come of them by their voyage / as I sayd or they departed. Ar∣nault Guyllyam who was a sage knyght / and knewe right well his brothers cōdicions / stode styll and gaue none answere. And than therle who thought to declare his mynde more plain¦lye (for long he had borne the trouble therof in his herte) spake agayne more hygher than̄e he dyd before / and sayd. By god sir Arnault it is as I saye / and shortely ye shall here tidynges therof / but the countrey of Bierne this hūdred yere / neuer loste suche a losse at no iourney / as they haue done nowe in Portugale. Dyuers knyghtes and squyers that were there present and herde hym say so / stode styll and durst nat speke but remembred his wordes. And within a ten dayes after they knewe the trouthe therof by suche as had ben at the busynesse / and there they shewed euery thyng as it was fortuned at Iuberothe. Than therle renewed agayne his dolour and all the countrey were in sorowe / for they had loste their parentes / bretherne / chyl∣dren / and frendes. Saynt Mary quod I to the squyer that shewed me this tale. Howe is it that therle of Foiz coude knowe on one day / what was done within a day or two before / be¦ynge so farre of? By my faythe sir quod he as it appered well / he knewe it. Than he is a de∣uyner quod I / or els he hathe messangers that flyeth with the wynde / or he muste nedes haue some crafte: The squyer began to laughe and sayd. Surely he muste knowe it by some arte of Nigromansye / or otherwyse. To saye the trouthe we can nat tell howe it is / but by oure ymaginacions. Sir quod I / suche ymagina∣cion as ye haue therin / if it please you to shewe me I wolde be gladde therof: & if it be such a thynge as ought to be secrete / I shall nat pu∣blysshe it / nor as long as I am in this countre I shall neuer speke worde thereof. I praye you therof {quod} the squyer / for I wolde nat it shulde be knowen that I shulde speke therof / But I shall shewe you as dyuers men speketh secrete¦lye / whan they be togyder as frendes. Than he drewe me a parte into a corner of the chapell at Ortayse / and than began his tale and sayd.

IT is well a twentie yeres paste / that there was in this countrey a barone / called Raymon lorde of Corasse / whi¦che is a seuyn leages fro this towne of Ortaise This lorde of Corasse had y^t same tyme a plee at Auygnon before the pope / for the dysmes of his churche / agaynst a clerke curate there: the whiche preest was of Cateloygne. He was a

great cleke / and claymed to haue ryght of the dysmes in the towne of Corasse / whiche was valued to a hūdred florens by the yere / and the right that he had he shewed and proued it. And by sentence diffynityue / pope Vrbane the fyfte in consistory generall / condempned the knight and gaue iugement with the preest. and of this last iugement he had letters of the pope for his possession / & so rode tyll he came in to Bierne / and there shewed his letters & bulles of the po∣pes for his possession of his dismes. The lorde of Corase had great indignacion at this preest and cāe to hym & said. mayster Pe•• or maister Marten / as his name was: Thynkest y^u that by reason of thy letters / that I wyll lese myne herytage? Nat so hardy y^t thou take any thyn∣ge that is myne / if thou do it shall coste the thy lyfe / Go thy waye in to some other place to get the a benefyce / for of myne herytage thou get∣test no parte / and ones for alwayes I defende the. The clerke douted the knight for he was a cruell man / therfore he durste nat parceyuer. Than he thought to retourne to Auygnon as he dyde / but whan he departed he came to the knight the lorde of Corasse and sayd. Sir / by force and nat by right / ye take away fro me the right of my churche / wherin ye greatly hurte your cōscience. I am nat so strong in this coū∣trey as ye be. But sir / knowe for trouthe / that as soone as I maye / I shall sende to you suche a champyon / whome ye shall doute more than me. the knight who douted nothyng his thret∣nynges sayd: God be with the / do what thou mayst / I doute no more dethe than lyfe / for all thy wordes / I wyll nat lese myne herytage. Thus the clerke departed fro the lorde of Co∣rasse / and went I can nat tell wheder / to Auy∣gnon or into Cateloygne / and forgate nat the promyse that he had made to the lorde of Co∣rasse or he departed. For afterwarde whan the knyght thought leest on hym / about a thre mo∣nethes after / as the knyght laye on a nyght a bedde in his castell of Corasse with the ladye his wyfe / there came to hym messangers in vi∣syble / and made a marueylous tempest & noise in the castell / that it semed / as thoughe the ca∣stell shulde haue fallen downe / and strake gret strokes at his chambre dore / that the good la∣dye his wyfe was soore afrayde. The knyght herde all but he spake no worde therof / bycause he wolde shewe no abasshed corage / for he was hardy to abyde all aduentures. This noyse & tempest was in sondrie places of •• castell / and dured a longe space / and at laste cessed for that nyght. Than the nexte mornynge / all the ser∣yaūtes of the house came to the lorde whan he was rysen and sayd. Sir / haue you nat herde this night that we haue done? The lorde dys∣symuled and sayd no / I herde nothyng. What haue you herde. Than they shewed him what noyse they hadd herde / and howe all the vessell in the kechyn was ouertourned. Than the lor∣de began to laughe and sayde. yea sirs / ye dre∣med / it was nothynge but the wynde. In the name of god quod the ladye / I herde it well. The nexte night there was as great noyse and greatter / and suche strokes gyuen at his cham¦bre dore and wyndowes / as all shulde haue bro¦ken in peces. The knyght starte vp out of his bedde / and wolde nat lette to demaunde who was at his chambre dore that tyme of y^e night: and anone he was aunswered by a voyce that sayde / I am here. Quod the knyght / who sent the hyder? The clerke of Catelloygne sent me hyder quod the voyce / to whom thou dost gret wronge / for thou hast taken fro hym the rygh∣tes of his benefyce / I wyll nat leaue the in rest tyll thou haste made hym a good accompte / so that he be pleased. Quod the knyght / what is thy name / that arte so good a messangere? {quod} be I ame called Orthone. Orthone quod the knyght / the seruyce of a clerke is lytell profyte for the / He wyll putte the to / to moche payne if thou beleue hym. I pray the leaue hym & come and serue me / & I shall gyue the good thanke. Orthone was redy to aunswere / for he was in amouts with the knyght and sayde. Woldest thou fayne haue my seruyce? yea truely quod the knyght / so thou do not hurte to any persone in this house. No more I wyll do quod Or∣thon for I haue no power to do any other yuel but to awake the out of thy slepe or some other Well quod the knyght do as I tell the / and we shall soone agree / and leaue the yuell clerke for there is no good thyng in him / but to put the to payne / therfore cōe and serue me. well {quod} orthon and sythe thou wylte haue me we are agreed.

SO this spyrite Orthone loued so the knight / that often tymes he wolde cōe and vysite hym / whyle he laye in his bedde a slepe / and outher pull hym by the care or els stryke at his chambre dore or wyndowe / to awake hym. And whan the knyght awoke than he wolde saye. Orthon let me slepe. Nay quod Orthone that wyll I nat do / tyll I haue shewed the suche tidynges as are fallen a late. The lady the knyghtes wyfe wolde be sore a∣frayed

that her heer wolde stande vp / and hyde her selfe vnder the clothes. Than̄e the knight wolde saye. Why / what tidynges haste thou brought me? Quod Orthone / I am come out of Englande or out of Hungry / or some other place / and yesterdaye I came thens / and suche thynges are fallen or suche other. So thus the lorde of Corasse knewe by Orthon euery thyn∣ge that was done in any parte of the worlde. And in this case he contynued a fyue yere and coude nat kepe his owne counsayle / but at laste discouered it to the erle of Foiz / I shall shewe you howe.

THe firste yere the lorde of Corasse came on a daye to Orthayse to the erle of Foiz / and sayd to hym. sir suche thynges are done in Englā∣de / or in Scotlande / or in Almay∣gne / or in any other countrey. and euer the erle of Foiz founde his sayeng true / and had great marueyle howe he shulde knowe suche thyng{is} so shortly. And on a tyme therle of Foiz examy¦ned hym so straitly / that the lorde of Corase she¦wed hym all toguyder howe he knewe it / and howe he came to hym firste. Whan the Erle of Foiz herde that he was ioyfull and sayd. Sir / of Corasse / kepe hym well in your loue / I wol¦de I hadd suche a messangere: He costeth you nothynge / and ye knowe by hym euery thynge that is done in the worlde: The knight answe¦red and sayd. sir / that is true. Thus the lorde of Corasse was serued with Orthon a long sea¦son / I can nat saye if this Orthone hadde any mo maysters or nat. But euery weke twyse or thrise he wolde come and vysite the lorde of Co¦rasse / and wolde shewe hym suche tidynges of any thyng that was fallen fro whens he came. And euer the lorde of Corasse whan he knewe any thynge / he wrote therof euer to the Erle of Foiz / who had great ioy therof / for he was the lorde of the worlde that moost desyred to here newes out of straunge places. And on a tyme the lorde of Corasse was with the erle of Foiz / and the erle demaunded of hym and said. Sir of Corasse / dyd ye euer as yet se your messan∣gere? Naye surely sir quod the knyght / nor I neuer desyred it. That is marueyle quod the Erle / if I were as well acquaynted with hym as ye be / I wolde haue desyred to haue sene hi / wherfore I praye you desyre it of hym / & than to tell me whet forme and facyon he is of: I ha¦ue herde you say howe he speketh as good gas∣cone as outher you or I. Truely sir quod the knight so it is / he speketh as well and as fayre as any of vs bothe do. And surely sir / sithe ye counsayle me I shall do my payne to se hym & I can. And so on a night as he lay in his bedde with the lady his wyfe / who was so enured to here Orthon / that she was no more afrayde of hym. Than came Orthon and pulled the lord by the eare / who was fast a slepe / and therwith he awoke and asked who was the••. I am here quod Orthon. Than he demaūded / fro whens comest y^u nowe? I come {quod} Orthon fro Prage in Boesme. Howe farre is that hens quod the knyght? A threscore dayes iourney quod Or∣thone. and arte thou come thens so soone quod the knight? ye truely quod Orthon / I came as fast as the wynde or faster. hast thou than wyn¦ges quod the knight? Nay truely {quod} he. Howe canste thou than flye so faste quod the knyght? ye haue nothyng to do to knowe that quod Or¦thone. No quod the knight / I wolde gladly se the / to knowe what forme thou arte of. Well {quod} Orthon / ye haue nothing to do to knowe / it suf¦ficeth you to here me / & I to shewe you tidyng{is} In faythe {quod} the knyght / I wolde loue the mo∣che better and I myght se the ones. Well {quod} Or¦thone. sir sithe ye haue so great desyre to seme / the firste thynge that ye se to morowe whan yt ryse out of your bedde / the same shalbe I. that is sufficient quod the lorde. Go thy way I gy¦ue the leaue to departe for this nyght. And the next mornynge the lorde rose / and the lady his wyfe was so afrayd that she durst nat ryse / but fayned her selfe sicke / & sayd she wolde nat ryse Her husbande wolde haue had her to haue ry∣sen. sir quod she than I shall se Orthone / & I wolde nat se him by my good wyll. Well {quod} the knight I wolde gladly se hym. and so he arose fayre and easely out of his bedde / & sat downe on his bedde syde / wenyng to haue sene orthon in his owne {pro}performe / but he sawe nothyng wherby he might saye / Loyonder is Orthon / So that daye passed and the nexte night came and whan the knyght was in his bedde orthon came and began to speke / as he was accusto∣med. Go thy waye quod the knight / thou arte but alyer: Thou promysest that I shulde haue sene the / and it was nat so. No quod he / & I she¦wed my selfe to the. that is nat so {quod} the lorde. why {quod} Orthon / whā ye rose out of your bedde sawe you nothynge? Than the lorde studyed a lytell and aduysed hymselfe well. yes truely quod the knyght nowe I remembre me / as I

satte on my beddes syde / thynkynge on the / I sawe two strawes on the pauement tumblyng one vpon another. That same was I {quod} Or∣thone / in to that fourme I dyde put my selfe as than / That is nat ynoughe to me quod the lor∣de. I praye the putte thy selfe in to some other fourme / that I maye better se and knowe the. Well {quod} Orthon / ye wyll do so moche y^t ye wyll lese me and I go fro you / for ye desyre to moch of me. Naye quod the knyght thou shalte nat go fro me / let me se the ones and I wyll desyre no more. Well quod Orthone ye shall se me to morowe / take hede / the firste thynge that ye se after ye be out of your chābre it shalbe I. Well quod the knight I am than cōtent / go thy way lette me slepe. And so Orthone departed / and the nexte mornynge the lorde a rose and yssued out of his chambre and went to a wyndowe / & loked downe in to the courte of the castell / and caste about his eyen. And the firste thynge he sawe was a Sowe / the greattest that euer he sawe / and she semed to be so leane and yuell fa∣uoured / that there was nothyng on her but the skynne & the bones / with long eares and a lon∣ge leane snout. The lorde of Corasse had mar∣ueyle of that leane Sowe / and was wery of y^e sight of her / and cōmaunded his men to fetche his houndes / and sayd. Lette the dogges hunt her to dethe / and deuoure her. His seruauntes opyned the kenelles and lette out his houndes / and dyde sette them on this sowe. And at the laste the sowe made a great crye / and loked vp to the lorde of Corasse as he loked out at a wyn¦dowe / and so sodaynely vanysshed awaye no man wyste howe. Than the lorde of Corasse entred in to his chambre right pensyue: & than he remembred hym of Orthon his messangere and sayd. I repent me that I sette my hoūdes on hym: It is an aduenture and euer I here a¦ny more of hym / for he sayd to me often tymes that if I displeased hym I shulde lese hym. the lorde said trouthe / for neuer after he came in to the castell of Corasse / and also the knight dyed the same yere next folowynge. Lo sir quod the squyer / thus I haue shewed you the lyfe of Or∣thone / and howe a season he serued the lorde of Corasse with newe tidynges. It is true sir {quod} I / but nowe as to your firste purpose / Is the erle of Foiz serued with suche a messangere? Surely quod the squier it is the ymaginacion of many that he hath suche messāgers / for the•• is nothynge done in any place / but and he sette his mynde therto he wyll knowe it / and whan men thynke leest therof. And so dyde he whan the good knightes and squyers of this coun∣trey were slayne in Portugale at Iuberothe. Some saythe the knowledge of suche thynges hath done hym moche profyte / for and there be but the value of a Spone loste in his house / a none he wyll knowe whe•• it is. So thus than I toke leaue of the squyer and went to other cō¦pany / but I bare well awaye his tale.

¶Nowe I wyll leaue to speke of the busynes of Portugale and of Spaygne / and speke of the busynesse in Languedocke and in Fraūce. ∴ ∵