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 duke of Lancastre & his oost when they had soiourned a mo∣moneth at Coulongne / then they de∣parted & rode towarde saynt Iames in Galyce. Ca. xlviii. (Book 48)

ANd when the duke of Lācastre had soiourned at Coulongne y^e space of a mo¦neth and more / then he was coūsayled to dyslodge thēs & to drawe towardes saynt Iames in Galyce / where was a better countrey and a more plentyfull for men and horses / so he departed and rode in thre batayles. Fyrst the marshal with .CCC. speres & .vi.C. archers. Then the duke with .CCCC. spere and all the ladyes and damoy¦selles in his company / and in the arrere garde the constable syr Iohn̄ Hollande w^t a .CCCC speres & .vii.C. archers. Thus they rode fay∣re & easely in .iii. batayles / and were rydynge thre dayes bytwene Coulongne and saynt Ia¦mes. The countrey of Galyce was sore afray∣de of the dukes comynge thyder / for they fered gretely his puyssaūce. The marshall with his vowarde came to Compostelia where y^e body of saynt Iames lyeth / and the towne was clo∣sed agaynst hym / howbeit there were no men of warre there in garyson / but men of y^e towne y^t kepte it / for there were no frensshmen wolde vndertake to kepe it to the vtteraunce / for it was not stronge ynoughe to be kepte agaynst suche men of warre as the duke had brought thyder. The marshall of the oost sente thyder an heraulde of armes to knowe theyr ententes what they wolde do / the heraulde came to the

barryers & there foūde y^e capytayne of y^twarde called Alphons of sene / then the heraulde sayd syr capytayne here a lytel besyde is the duke of Lancastres marshall who hath sent me hyder & he wolde gladly speke with you. Wel sayd y^t ca¦pytayne / it pleseth me wel / let hym come hyder & we shal speke w^t hym / y^e heraulde retourned & shewed the marshall as they sayd / then y^e mar∣shall w^t .xx. speres w^t hym wente thyder & foūde at the barryers y^e capytayne & certayne of y^e che¦fe heedes of the towne / then y^e marshal lyghted on fote & .iii. with hym & the lorde Basset & syr Wyllyā Fremyton / then y^e marshall sayd / ye ca¦pytayne & your men. My lorde the duke of Lā¦castre & my lady & your lady of Lancastre dou¦ghter to kynge Don Peter your lorde & kynge hath sent me hyder to speke with you to know what ye wyll do or say / outher to receyue them as ye showe do your souerayne lorde & lady / or elles they to assayle you & take you perforce / & surely knowe for trouth if ye be taken perforce al ye within the towne shall suffre dethe w^t the swerde to gyue ensample to all other / syr sayd the capytayne we wyl not vse vs but by reason we wolde gladly acquyte vs to them y^t we be∣longe / we know ryght well y^t my lady Cōstaū¦ce or Lancastre was doughter to kynge Don Petero of Castel••s y^t if kynge Don Peter had abyden peasybly styl kyng she had ben then ry¦ghtfull enherytoure of Castell / but the matter chaūged otherwyse / for al y^e royalme of Castel abode peasybly to kyngē Henry his broder by reason of the batayle y^t was at Nātuel / so y^t we al of the countrey sware to holde kynge Henry for our kyng / & he kepte it as longe as he lyued & also we haue sworne to holde kyng Iohn̄ his sone for our kyng / but syr shewe vs what haue they of Coulongne done or sayd to you / for it maye be so syth ye haue lyne there more then a moneth y^t they haue made some maner of trea∣ty with you / y^t is true sayd the marshal we are at a treaty w^t them / or elles they had not scaped as they dyd / & yet the towne of Coulongne is twyse so stronge as is this towne / I shall shew you what treaty they haue made with vs y^e mē of y^e towne haue pryuely made a composycyon with•• vs saynge how they wyll do euery thyng accordynge as ye do but though ye wyl suffre yourselfe to be assayled and dystroyed / yet soo wyll not they do / for yf the countrey of Galyce do yelde them to my lorde the duke and to my lady / they wyll do in lyke wyse / and in this we haue good pledges and suffycyent / that is wel sayd sayd the capytayne / we in lykewyse wyll holde the same treatye / there be in the royalme many mo good cytees & townes / ryde on forth & leue vs in pease / & we wyll do as they do / & in y^t we wyl delyuer you good pledges & ostages Nay syr not so sayd the marshall. My lorde y^e duke nor my lady wyl not suffre y^t / for they wyl come & lodge here in this towne & kepe theyr estates as they sholde do in theyr owne heryta¦ge / therfore answere vs shortely what ye wyll do / outher to yelde or to be assayled & taken by force & destroyed / syr sayd the capytayne gyue vs lytell leysure y^t we may speke togyder & we shal answere you shortely / I am contente sayd the marshall / then the capytayne entred in to y^e towne and caused euery man to come before hym. Then wysely he shewed to them frome poynte to poynte as ye haue harde before / and fynally they agreed to receyue the duke and y^e duches peasybly as theyr lorde & lady / and to abyde in theyr towne as longe as it pleased them without the puyssaunce of kynge Iohn̄ dyd dryue them thens / and also that whē they had taryed there as it pleased them a yere or .ii. longer or shorter / and that when they depar¦ted out of y^e countrey without they lefte there a suffycyent garyson to defende them fro theyr enemyes / elles they to rendre it agayne to kyn¦ge Iohn̄ or to his marshall yf they were / soo commaunded / and so they to be quyte of theyr fayth and promyse then made. This treatye y^e marshall syr Thomas Moreaur accepted & sayd how they sayd as they ought to do & that the duke and y^e duches desyred nothynge elles of them. Then the marshall retourned to his men & so to the duke who taryed for hym in the feldes / there he shewed y^e duke this trety wher w^t the duke was content / & soo in good ordre of batayle the duke rode to the towne of saynt Iames.

WIthin .ii. lytell frensshe myles of saynt Iames in Galyce there came in pro∣cessyon all the clergy of y^• towne with crosses & relykes & mē women & chyldren tome¦te with the duke & the duches / & the men of the towne brought the keys with thē whiche they presēted to the duke & to the duches with theyr good wylles by all semblaunt / I can not say if they dyd it with theyr good hartes or no / there they kneled downe & receyued theyr lorde & la∣dy / & they entred in to y^e towne of saynt Iames & the fyrst voyage they made they wente to the chyrche & all theyr chyldren & made theyr pray¦ers & offrynge w^t grete giftes / & it was shewed me y^t the duke & y^e duches & theyr .ii. doughters

Phylyp & katheryn were lodged in an abbay & there kept theyr house & y^e other lordes as syr Iohn̄ Holāde / & syr Thomas moreaux & theyr wyues lodged in y^• towne / & al other barons & knightes lodged abrode in y^e felde / in houses & bowres of bowes / for there were ynowe in the coūtrey they foūde there flesshe & strong wyne ynough whereof y^e Englysshe archers drāke so moche y^t they were ofte tymes drōken / wherby they had y^e feuers / or elles in y^e mornyng theyr hedes were so cuyl y^t they coulde not helpe thē selfe all the day after.

ANd whē y^e Barroys of barres & Iohn̄ of Castel morant & y^e other knyghtes & squyers as were in y^e castel of Coulōgne herde how y^e duke & duches were entred peasybly in to saynt Iames / & y^t they were there receyued / thē they toke coūsayle togyder what was best for thē to do / & sayd it was but foly to tary ther ony lenger / for here we can haue no good aduē¦ture / let vs go to Burgus to y^e kynge & se what he wyl do / it can be none otherwyse but that he wyll go agaynst these Englysshmen / for yf he suffre thē to lodge thus in rest by lytell & lytell they shall cōquere & be lordes of Castell wher∣fore it is more honourable for vs to go thyder thē to abyde here / this coūsayle they helde for y^e best / so they made thē redy to departe & trussed y^t they had / & so yssued out of y^e castell of Cou∣longne / & toke theyr leue of them y^t they foūde there when they entred fyrst / & they toke gydes suche as knew y^• coūtrey / elles they had ben en¦coūtred / so they rode thrugh Bysquay costyng Galyce / & so came to Lyon in spayne / & as then y^e kynge & the quene were there / y^e kynge there welcomed the frensshe knyghtes as it was rea¦son & demaunded of thē tydynges / howbeit he knew ynoughe al redy / they shewed hym how they entred in to coulongne y^e same tyme y^t the englysshmen entred in to the hauen / & how the englysshmen foūde in the hauen .vii. galeys & other vesselles of Bysquay laden with wynes whiche the englysshmen had to theyr profyte / the merchauntes had sone solde it / ye sayd the kynge so it goth by the warre / they were not wyse to tary when they knew the army of En∣glonde on these they myght haue gone in to so¦me other quarter / syr sayd y^e knyghtes they we¦re come thyder in trust of saufegarde for they sayd the wynes & other marchaundyse y^t they had sholde go in to flaundres / for they had her de wel by y^e maryners of saynt Andrewes y^t the englysshmen were on the see / & on the boundes & coost of Bysquay / & true it is y^• kynge of Por¦tyngale sent to thē galeys & gret shyppes thyn kynge how they wolde haue landed at y^e porte of Portyngale or at Lyxbone / but they dyd the cōtrary as it appered / for they entred in to Ga∣lyce by Coulongne / Well syrs sayd the kynge / among you knyghtes of fraūce who knoweth more of dedes of armes thē mē of this coūtrey / for ye haue more haunted & vsed the warre thē they haue / how thynke you by the englysshmē how haue they borne thēselfe al this season / syr sayd they they haue borne themselfe lyke good mē of warre / for they be so close & pryuy y^t har∣de it is to knowe what they entende to do / but supposyng we thynke y^e duke of Lācastre wyl abyde all this nexte wynter in saynt Iames towne & his people theraboute & ouer rynne y^e coūtrey of Galyce & wyn y^e small holdes & gete vytayles & prouysyons / & tyl somer come by ly¦kelyhode there shall be some treatye made by¦twene hym & the kynge of Portyngale or elles neuer / there is one poynte y^t causeth vs to byle¦ue y^t some alyaunces shal be cōcluded bytwene thē / & y^t is y^e duke hath brought out of Englāde with hym al his doughters maryed & to mary he hath .ii. to mary & we thynke y^e kyng of Por¦tyngale your aduersary shal haue one of them wel sayd y^e kyng what thynge were best for me me to do / syr sayd y^e knyght we shal shew you / cause al your townes & castels on y^e ••ron••er of galyce to be wel kepte suche as be of strēgth / & suche as be of no strength cause thē to be beten downe / it is shewed vs how men of y^e coūtrey do fortefy minsters chyrches & steples / & bryng in to thē al theyr goodes / syr surely this shal be the losse & confusyon of your royalme / for whē y^e englysshmen ryde abrode / these small holdes chyrches & steples shal holde no while agaynst thē / but they shal be refresshed & nourysshed w^t suche prouysyon as they shall fynde in them / whiche shal helpe to furteth them to wynne all y^e resydue / therfore syr we say y^t & ye do wel cau¦se al suche holdes to be beten downe now why le ye haue leysure & make a crye y^t w^tout euery thyng be auoyded in to y^e good townes & in to stronge castelles bytwene this & the feest of all sayntes / & elles let it be forfayte & abandō tt to your mē of warre who so euer can catche it / or at the furchest by the feest of saynt Andrewe / it were better your owne mē had the profyte ther of rather then your enemyes / & syr sende specy¦ally certayne persones of your counsayle to y^e frensshe kyng certefyeng hym what case you & your countrey is in / thus syr sende to the kyng & his vncles y^e duke of Berrey & y^e duke of Bor¦goyne

shewyng thē surely y^t by all lykelyhode in this nexte somer ye shal haue y^e grettest war y^t euer was made in spayne other by y^e prynce or by ony other / syr wryte pyteous letters desy¦rynge the kynge & his vncles to cōforte you in this your grete nede w^t some good mē of armes to resyst your enemyes & to kepe & def••de your royalme / there is grete alyaunces all redy by∣twene the frensshe kynge & you / & in lykewyse was by hym & your fader / & syr surely in no wy¦se y^e frensshe kyng & the noble royalme of fraū∣ce whiche may do more in dede thē englande & Portyngale ioyned togyder / in this case wyll not fayle you / for whē y^e frēsshe kyng & his coū∣sayle be iustly enfourmed of euery thynge / ye shal wel perceyue they wyl take suche regarde therto y^t ye shal take but lytell domage by this war / for knightes & squyers of fraūce desyring to auaunce theyr dedes w^t a lytell worde or cō∣maūdement wyll drawe in to these partyes to fynde dedes of armes / for as nowe they wote not where to employ theyr tyme better for fraū¦ce & flaūders as now be accorded whiche hath ben at war a long season / & also there is a truce bytwene fraūce & englāde as beyonde y^e ryuer of Loyre to endure to y^e feest of saynt Iohn̄ bap¦tyst / therfore syr ye shal se knyghtes & squyers of fraūce come hyder in good nombres as well to fynde dedes of armes as to se this coūtrey & to mete y^e englysshmē / but syr we coūsayle you for your {pro}fyre y^t al these smal holdes chyrches mynsters & steples abrode in y^e coūtrey let thē de put downe if ye thynke to haue ioy of y^e re∣sydue / thē the kyng of Castel sayd / syrs ye coū∣sayle me truely / & thus wyll I do fro hence for∣warde / thē without takyng of ony further coū¦sayle he cōmaunded al suche holdes as were of no grete strength to be beten downe / & abando¦ned to y^e frensshe knyghtes al y^t they founde in thē & to se y^t it were done as they had deuysed / syrsayd they y^t is wel sayd / syr we shal se it ac∣cōplysshed & shal helpe to saue all the resydue / this worde y^t the kyng of Castel sayd to thē of fraūce & the auctorite y^t he gaue to thē was wel worth to thē .CC.M. frankes of profyte & spe∣cyally to thē y^t came fyrst in to Castell / whē the duke of Lācastre aryued at coulongne. Thus thrughout al the royalme of Castel al smal hol¦des chyrches & steples & suche as were not suffi¦cyent to be kepte were put downe & all y^e goo∣des in thē abandoned to the mē of warre so the people of y^e countrey were atrapped & begyled suche as had fortefyed suche places & put in thē theyr goodes as wyne corn•• flesshe & other thī¦ges thynkyng there to haue kepte thē sure / but it fell the cōtrary / for knyghtes & squyers sente thyder theyr mē & toke al & brought suche pro∣uysyon as they foūde there to theyr maysters lodgynges / but as for golde & syluer suche as they foūde & suche money as they made the vy∣laynes to pay for theyr owne goodes / y^t money neuer came to no knowledge / for y^t they kepte styll in theyr purses / & some of y^e poore cōpany∣ons suche as were more subtyl thē other moost aduentured & therby wan moost / often tymes suche as cometh fro theyr owne howses moost porest in suche cases be sonest moūted on good horses & genettes .v. or .vi. in theyr stable / gyr∣delles of chaynes of golde & syluer / & a .M. or .ii.M. frankes in theyr purse / & whē they were in theyr owne coūtrey / were fayne to go a fote or on a nagge / thus y^e cōpanyons y^t came fyrst in to Castel wan moche ryches & the poore mē of y^e coūtrey payde for al / for they were robbed & ryfled w^t theyr owne mē / for they wolde not y^t theyr enemyes sholde haue had ony {pro}fyte ther¦of / & when these tydynges came in to fraūce to other cōpanyons how y^e pore knyghtes & squy¦ers y^t were gone in to Castell were made so ry¦che / they were the more eger to go out of theyr houses & to draw in to spayne cōsideryng how they myght there as well pyll & robbe on theyr frendes as on theyr enemyes.