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 grete apparell & prouysyon that generally was made in the roy∣alme of fraūce by the kyng there & by his coūsayle for a iourney to be made in to Englande / & also of the dethe of Frauncis Atreman. Ca. lii. (Book 52)

THe frensshe kyng & his counsayle were wel enfourmed of y^e voyage y^t the duke of Lācastre sholde ma∣ke in to Castel or he departed / for y^e voyce flewe quyckely y^t the roy∣alme of Castel sholde haue moche a do y^t somer & to fynde some remedy theragaynst / the duke of Burgoyne made so lyghtly peas w^t the gaū¦to•• se to y^e entente to ayde y^e necessyte of y^e kyng of Castel / wherto the frensshe kyng & the royal me of fraūce were bounde for dyuers reasons for by y^e kyng of Castel & his men & shyppes on y^e see the busynes of y^e royalme of fraunce were in good state / & also besyde y^t the yonge kynge Charles of fraūce had grete affeccyon to go w^t an army in to y^e royalme of englande / all kny∣tes & squyers of fraūce were well agreed ther∣to

& specyally his vncle y^e duke of Burgoyne & the constable of fraunce for al y^t he had to his wyfe the syster of kyng Rycharde of englande & also y^e lorde of Coucy / these lordes & the most parte of y^e chyualry of fraūce sayd / why sholde we not ones go into Englande to se the coun∣trey & the people there & teche them the way as they haue done in fraunce / & so in y^e yere of our lorde .M.CCC.lxxx.vi. what to y^e entente to breke y^e duke of Lancastres voyage & to cause hym to retourne out of Castel & to gyue feare to y^e englysshmē / grete ordenauūce for y^t voya∣ge was made in traūce & taxes & tallages set & allysed in cytees & good townes & in y^e playne countrey y^t in a .C. yere before there was none suche sene / & also grete apparel made by the see al y^• somer tyll y^e moneth of septembre they dyd no thyng elles on y^• see coost but grynde corne & bake bysket / & at Tournay / lysle / doway / ar∣ras / Amyas / bethune / saynt omers / & in all the townes aboute Sluse / for y^e frensshe kynges entencyon & his counsayle was to take y^e see at Sluse & so to entre in to englande to distroy y^e countrey / they y^t were ryche men in y^e royalme of fraūce to y^e ayde of this voyage were taxed & tayled to the .iii. & .iii. parte o•• theyr goodes & many payde more thē they were worth besy∣de to accōplysshe y^e payment for men of warre.

FRo Spayne & fro the porte of sybyll to Pruce there was no grete shyp on y^e see y^t y^e frensshmen coulde lay theyr handes on nor vnder theyr owne obeysaunce but were retey∣ned for y^e frensshe kynge & his men / prouysyon came fro al partyes & aryued in flaunders / bo∣th wyne / salte / flesshe / hay / in tonnes / otes / ony ons / bysket / floure / egges in pypes & of al ma∣ner of thynges y^t coulde be deuysed / so y^t in ty∣me to come it coulde not be byleued but by thē y^t sawe it / lordes / knyghtes / squyers & men of war were wryten vnto & desyred to come & ser∣ue y^e kyng in his iourney / as out of Sauoy / Al¦mayne / & fro y^• sone goynge downe to y^e lande of y^e erle of Amynacke / & so these lordes of farre countreys as the erle of Sauoy was reteyned with .v.C. speres / also y^e erle of armynacke & y^e dolphyn of Awuergne / & these lordes thoughe they were of farre coūtreys & knew not what ende this warre sholde come to / yet they made theyr {pro}uysyons so grete & costly y^t it was gret meruayle to thynke therof / & it was wonder to consyder fro whens all suche prouysyon came what by lande & by see in to flaūders as to bru¦ges / to dan / & to Sluse / & so there was sent for in to Holāde / zelande / meldebourge / zerechyel dourdrest / stonehone / & to all other townes on y^e see coost & to y^e ryuers entryng in to y^e see for al maner of shyppes y^t coulde do ony seruyce / & al were brought to Sluse / but y^e holanders & y^e zelanders sayd to thē y^t reteyned thē / yf ye wy•• haue our seruyce pay vs our wages clerely or elles we wyl go to no parte / so they were pay∣de / wherin they dyd wysely / I trowe syth god created y^e worlde there was neuer sene so ma∣ny grete shyppes togyder as was y^t yere at slu¦se & at Blanquerge / ••or in y^e moneth of septēbre in y^e sayd yere they were nobred a .xii.C.lxxx.vii. shyppes at Sluse / there mastes semed in y^e se lyke a grete wood / & the cōstable of Fraunce shyp was apparelled at Lentregmer in bretay¦gne / also the cōstable caused to be made in bre∣taygne of tymbre a closure of a towne or lyke a parke y^t whē they had takē lande in englade to close in theyr felde to lodge therī more at theyr case w^tout waking or skries / & whēsoeuer they sholde remoue theyr felde y^• closure was so ma¦de y^t they myght take it a sonder in peces / & a grete nombre of carpēters & other receyned in wages to atende thereon / I herde not y^t y^e duke of bretaygne made ony prouysyō to go in this iourney nor the duke of Tourayne the kynges yonger broder nor the erle of Bloys / al myght not go for some must abyde behynde to kepe y^e royalme.

WHo so had ben y^• seasō at bruges / at dan / or at sluse & sene y^e busynes there in char¦gynge of shyppes w^t hay / sackyng of bys¦ket & ladyng in of onyons / peson / benes barley candelles / hosen / shoos / spurres / knyues / dag∣gers / axes of war / axes to hew w^tal / mattockes nayles / beddes / couches / horseshoos / pottes / pānes / cādelstyckes / & al maner of necessaryes for kechyn / botery / & al other o••••yces / & of euery thyng y^t coulde be thought of / necessary to ser∣ue mā & horse / al was had in to shyppes in one thyng or other who so euer had sene it if he had ben seke / I thynke he wolde clene haue forgo∣ten al y^e payne / y^e cōpanyons of fraūce rekened none otherwyse amonge thēselfe whē they spa¦ke togyder / but y^t the royalme of englāde shol∣de clene haue ben lost & exyled w^tout recouery / & al y^e men women & chyldrē therin slayne & ta∣ken & caryed in to fraūce in seruytude.

OF this grete apparel thus made to come in to englande / y^e kyng of englāde & his coūsayle were wel enfourmed therof / & it was surely affyrmed that the fensshmē wolde come thyder for so they had surely sworne / it was no

meruayle though this grete apparel somwhat at y^e begynnyng abasshed y^e englysshmē / & also y^• matter was shewed moche more then it was in dede / & also y^t englysshmen were in no sure cer••aynte whether this preparacyon was to co¦me in to Englande or elles to lay syege to Ca∣leys bothe by lande & by see / for the englysshmē knewe wel y^t of all the townes in the worlde y^e frensshmen most desyred to haue caleys / wher¦fore the kyng of englande sent to Caleys grete prouisyon of whete & other cornes / salte / flesshe fysshe / wyne / bere & other thynges / and thyder was sent syr Thomas Holāde erle of kente / syr Hughe Caurell / syr wyllyā Helman / syr Dan∣gouses / syr water of Vurnes / syr Water paulle syr Wyllyā Toucet / syr Loys of Mountalban syr Colars of Dābrychcourte & .v.C. men of ar¦mes / & .v.C. archers / & y^e erle Rycharde of Arū¦del & syr Henry spenser were ordeyned to kepe the see with .xl. greteshyppes wel decked with men of armes & archers to y^e nombre of .CCC. men of armes & .vi.C. archers.

ON the other syde it was sayd in dyuers places in fraunce / in haynalte / & in pycar¦dy y^t y^e frēsshe armye y^t was thus apparelled in flauders was nother to go in to englande nor to Calays / but rather to retourne al y^e matter & set on y^e towne of Gaunte / & as it was enfour∣med y^e towne of Gaunte y^• same season doub∣ted gretely y^t all y^e apparell was for to come on thē / but they were in a wronge byleue / for y^e du¦ke of Borgoyne theyr lorde wolde nothyng to thē but good rest & peas / thoughe y^t Frauncis Atreman were slayne anone after the makyng of the peas at Tournay for of his deth y^e duke was nothyng to blame / nor the duke had none euyll wyl to hym though in y^e season of war he dyd many feates of armes for y^e towne agaȳst the duke as it hath ben declared more playnly here before / for though he came to an euyl ende it was his owne defaulte / for if he had byleued Peter du boys it had ben otherwyse with hym for when the peas was made bytwene y^e duke of Borgoyne & them of Gaunt / when he retour¦ned fro Tournay to Gaunt / & y^t Peter du boys made hym redy to go in to Englande with syr Iohn̄ Bourser / then Peter sayd to hym / Fraū¦cis what wyll ye do / wyl ye go in to Englande with vs / then he sayd he wolde abyde styll in Gaunt / why sayd Peter thynke you to abyde here in peas there is grete hatred agaynst you & me / I wyll abyde for nothynge here / it is not to tryst in y^e comontye / ye haue herde how they of Gaunt slue & murdred the valyaunt Iaques of Artuell who had done so moche good to the towne bothe in counsayle & in armes / & for a ly¦tell cause the vyllaynes slue hym / & the honest men of the towne dyd not saue hym but rather dyssymuled & was glad of his dethe / in lyke∣wyse Frauncis wyll they do with you & me yf I abyde here / but as for me I wyll not tary / therfore adue. ¶Why sayd Frauncis the duke of Borgoyne hath pardoned all thynges / & ha¦th reteyned me yf I wyll to go with hym to be as a squyer of his stable with .iiii. horses / & he & also syr Guy of Tremoyll sheweth me grete sygne of loue. In the name of god sayd Peter du boys / I speke not of my lorde y^e duke of Bor¦goyne nor of his knyghtes I thynke they wyll kepe well the peas / but I speke of the comons of Gaunt / there be some y^t ye haue not alwayes pleased / remembre ye not of the lorde of Sar∣gelles whom ye made to be slayne & other / kno¦we for trouth y^t these passed hatredes wyl con∣tynue in theyr hartes / yf ye abyde amonge thē yet it were better for you to go & dwell with y^e duke of Borgoyne. Well sayd Frauncis I shal take aduyse / but in to Englande I wyl not go Thus Frauncis Atreman abode styll / & peter¦du boys wente with syr Iohn̄ Bourser / & ano∣ne after y^t the peas was cryed & publysshed in all the partyes of Flaunders / then there was made a crye that none sholde bere ony armure or sworde after hym / & Frauncis Atremā who was styll in Gaunt & had kepte a grete estate the warre durynge / thought to contynue som∣what his honestye / euer where he went he had a .iii. or .iiii. seruauntes waytynge on hym ar∣med & beryng swordes & other wepons on thē & when this crye was made in the dukes name he thought it sholde not rynne on hym nor no∣ne of his seruauntes / he thought hymselfe soo well in fauoure with them of the towne / but he was deceyued / for within a .vii. or .viii. dayes after the cry was proclamed y^e dukes baylyffe came personally to hym & sayd Fraūcis ye put my lorde the dukes offycers in grete suspecte / why do you go aboute in y^e towne in harneys & your seruauntes beryng swordes & wepons of defence as thoughe it were in y^• tyme of war whiche pleaseth not vs / Wherfore we cōmaun¦de you in the dukes name to lay them downe / Frauncis who thought none euyll in y^t he dyd but to maynteyne his estate answered & sayd / syr baylyffe I wyll obey as it is reason / and I thanke god I hate no persone nor wolde not y^t ony sholde haue ony hurte for my sake / howbe it I had thought to haue had that aduaūtage

in y^e towne of Gaunt y^t I myght haue had my seruaūtes were theyr swordes after me. Nay sayd the baylyffe not so / for suche of the towne as ye haue done seruyce vnto speke theragayn¦ste & haue meruayle therof / & demaunde of me why I do suffre it / they saye it semeth that I wolde renewe agayne the olde warre / whiche they wyll not suffre / Wherfore Fraūcis I pray you do so that I here no more therof / for yf ye wyll not obey I must repute you as an enemy to my lorde the duke & to my lady of borgoyne & so the baylyffe departed fro hym / & frauncis wente to his lodgynge & caused his seruaun∣tes to lay downe all theyr armure / & so entred in to suche a fantasye that moost parte after he wente in y^e towne all alone or but one with hȳ chylde or seruaunt. So it was on a daye there was a feest kepte without the towne of Gaunt in the abbey of saynt Peters / & Frauncis Atre man wente thyder / and but one seruaunt with hym without armure or wepyn / he was spyed & poursued with a bastarde sone of the lorde of Harzelles whom he had caused to be slayne be fore / wherfore thē his sone thought to be reuen¦ged of his faders deth / this bastarde was pro∣uyded for the matter / & poursued Frauncis tyl he came out of the towne & farre fro ony compa¦ny and cryed on hym and sayd. A thou Fraun∣cis Atremā thou shalte dye / thou caused my fa¦der to be slayne / and I shall slee the / & as Fraū¦cis tourned hym the bastarde strake hym on y^e heed with his sworde so weyghty a stroke that he claue his heed to the tethe / and so fell downe deed to the erthe & the bastarde wente his way fayre and easely no man poursued hym / so this Frauncis Atreman was wel worthy to dye in that he wolde not byleue Peter du Boys / and when tydynges came in to englande & that Pe¦ter du boys knew therof he toke but smal thou¦ght for hym & sayd / or I departed fro Graunt I well aduysed hym / let vs se nowe who wyll amende it / not they that duryng the warre dyd gretely honoure hym / for suche doubtes I by∣leued syr Iohn̄ Bourser & came in to englande

NOwe let vs retourne to the prouisyons that were made at this season at Dan & at Sluse / it is not had in remembraūce of mā nor by wrytynge neuer none lyke sene nor her∣de of / Golde & syluer was no more spared then thoughe it had rayned out of the clowdes / or scomed out of y^e see / the grete lordes of fraunce sent theyr seruauntes to Sluse to apparell & make redy theyr prouysyons & shyppes and to furnysshe them of euery thynge nedefull / the kynge hymselfe as yonge as he was had more wyl to this iourney then ony other & that he al¦wayed shewed to the ende therof / euery mā hel¦ped to make prouysyō for other & to garnysshe theyr shyppes & to paynte them with theyr ar∣mes / paynters had as then a good season / for they wan & had what soeuer they desyred & yet there coulde not ynow be gotē for money / they made baners penons standerdes of sylke soo goodly y^t it was meruayle to beholde thē / also they paynted theyr mastes of theyr shippes fro the one ende to the other glyteryng with gol∣de & deuyses & armes / & specyally it was shew¦ed me y^t the lorde Guy of tremoyle garnysshed his shyp rychely / the payntynges y^t were made cost more then .ii.M. frankes whatsoeuer ony lorde coulde deuyse for theyr pleasure made in shyppes / & the pore people of the royalme pay∣de for al / for the tallages were there so grete to fournysshe this voyage / that they y^t were most ryche sorewed for it / and the poore fled for it.

ALl y^t euer was done in Fraunce / in flaū¦ders and other places / for this voyage was wel knowen in Englande & it was made moche gretter then it was in dede / wherof the people in dyuers places of the royalme were sore abasshed / & there were made generall pro¦cessyons in euery good towne & cyte by prela∣tes & men of the chyrche .iii. tymes euery weke whiche were made in grete deuocyon with the hartes with holy prayers & orysons to god to delyuer them fro y^• peryll / howbeit there were in englande a .C.M. that desyred hartely that y^e frensshmen myght come & aryue in englande & suche lyght companyons in comfortynge of themselfe & of them that were abasshed sayd / let these frensshmen come / there shall not one tayle of them retourne agayne in to fraunce / & suche persones as were in det & cared not for y^e payment therof were gretely reioysed of y^e co∣mynge of the frensshmen / & wolde say to theyr credytours when they demaunded theyr det / syrs holde you styll / they forge in Fraūce new floreyns wherwith ye shall be payde / and in y^e trust therof they lyued and spente largely and whē they myght not be trusted they wolde say what wolde ye haue of vs / It were better for you that we sholde spende frely the goodes of this royalme / rather thē the frensshmen sholde fynde it & haue it / and so by that meanes there was spente in outrage in Englande a .M. poū¦de sterlynge.

IN this season y^e kyng of englāde was in y^e marches & walles & w^t hym the erle of Oxenforde by whom euery thynge was done in englāde & w^tout hym nothyng done / & chefe of y^e kynges coūsayle were syr Symon Burle syr Nicholas braule / syr Robert tauylyon / syr Robert beauchamp / syr Iohn̄ salwen & syr my¦chel de la polle / & also there was named y^e bys∣shop of Norwyche & syr wyllyā Neuell broder to y^e lorde Neuel / al these as it was sayd dyd w^t y^e kyng what they lyst / as for y^e kynges vncles y^e erle of Cambrydge & the erle of Buckynghā coulde do nothyng w^tout it were agreable to y^e other before sayd & this trouble & differēce amō¦ge thēselfe was well knowen in fraūce whiche gretly auaunced theyr iourney / they wolde ha¦ue had y^e duke of Lācastre to haue withdrawē his iourney out of Castell / but he toke no hede therof to let his voyage / whē y^e lordes of englā¦de & the prelates & y^e people of y^e good townes & cytees & comons of the royalme were iustly & credybly enfourmed how y^e frensshe kyng was redy to come in to englande to dystroy it / then they drew togider to coūsayle / thē y^e kyng was wryten vnto by his vncles y^t he sholde come to Londō / certefyeng hym how y^e comons of his royalme were not cōtent with hȳ nor his coun¦sayle / y^e kyng & his counsayle wolde not refuse y^e goyng thyder but so departed for y^e marches of wales where they had ben long & the quene also / & so came to Wyndesore & there taryed a certayne dayes / & then y^e kyng lefte there y^e que¦ne & so went to Westmynstre to his palace and there taryed / & thyder came to hym al suche as had to do / & there they toke coūsayle how they sholde be demeaned agaynst this iourney of y^e frensshe kyng / then the erle of Salysbury who was a ryght valyaunt & prudent knyght sayd before y^e kyng & his vncles & before al y^e prela∣tes & lordes of englande y^t were there p̄sent / syr my souerayn lorde & al ye my lordes & other / it ought not to be meruayled of our aduersary y^e frensshe kyng wyll come & ryn vpō vs / for syth y^e deth of the last noble & puyssaunt kyng Ed∣ward of noble memory this royalme here hath ben in gret aduēture to haue ben lost & dystroy¦ed with y^e vyllaynes of y^• same / & also it is well knowen in fraunce / how we be not al of one ac¦corde / wherfore this trouble appereth y^e whi∣che is not lytel / for he is but a foole y^t fereth not his enemyes / & as longe as the royalme of En¦glande was in vnyte / y^e kyng with his people & they w^t hym / thē we prospered & reygned vyc¦toryously / nor we sawe nor founde none y^t dyd vs ony grete wronge / wherfore it is now nede¦ful neuer more nede apperd in englande / y^t we cōferme ourselfe to rest loue & vnyte if we thyn¦ke to come to ony honour / & y^t we ordeyne at y^e portes & hauens of englande suche prouysyon & defence that our countrey receyue no blame nor domage.

THis noble royalme of Englande hath ben a lo••g•• season in tryūphaunt flou¦re / & euery man knoweth well a thynge y^t is in floure hath more nede to be wel kepte thē whē it is tourned to parfyte fruyte / therfore we ou∣ght to se & cōsyder how this royalme is in his flourysshynge floure / for within this .xl. yeres knyghtes & squyers therof bothe within y^e roy¦alme & w^tout haue had more honoure then ony other nacyō / therfore let vs put to our paynes y^t as long as we lyue we may kepe this honour thē euery mā sayd y^t it were good y^t it wereso.

The erle of salysburies wordes were wel herde & accepted as the wordes & coun∣sayle of a noble valyaunt & sage knyght all y^t was sayd by hym / & deuysed among thē I wyl not long rest theron / for I thynke not to know al / but I know wel y^t the towne of Caleys was kepte as I sayd before / & they ordeyned to kepe y^e hauyns & portes where as they supposed y^t y^e frensshmē wolde aryue / y^e erle of salysbury by∣cause parte of his lande marched nere to y^e yle of wyght whiche is ryght oueragaynst Nor∣mandy & the coūtrey of ••aulx / therfore he was set there with his mē & archers of y^• countrey / & the erle of deuynshyre to be at Hampton with .CC. men of armes & .vi.C. archers to kepe the hauyn / y^e erle of Northūbrelande at Rye with CC. mē of armes / & .vi.C. archers / y^e erle of Cā¦brydge at douer w^t .v.C. mē o farmes / & .xii.C archers / & his broder y^e erle of Buckynghā at Sādwyche with .vi.C. mē of armes & .xii.C. archers / y^e erle of stafforde & y^e erle of penbroke were sent to Or wel hauyn with .v.C. mē of ar¦mes & .xii.C. archers / & syr henry percy & faulx percy were at yarmouth w^t .iii.C. mē of armes & .vi.C. archers / & syr Symon burle was capy¦tayne of Douer ca••••el / al y^e hauyns & portes by¦twene y^e ryuer of Humbre & Cornewal were re¦fresshed with mē of war & archers / & on y^e moū¦taynes & hylles costyng the see on the fronters agaynst flaūders & fraūce were set watche mē & watchers in dyuers maners I cā not tel how they had empty pypes fylled w^t sāde one set on another / & on the hyght of thē were places for mē to syr on / whiche nyght & day kepte watche lokynge in to the see / & they were charged y^t yf

they saw y^e frensshe nauy aproche towarde the lāde / thē to make fyers alofte on y^e hylles to sty¦re y^e coūtrey to drawe to y^e coost where y^e fyers apered / & it was ordeyned y^t they sholde suffre y^e frensshe kyng peasybly to take lande & al his & to suffre hym to entre in to y^e lāde a .iii. or .iiii dayes / & so thē fyrst to go to y^e see where he lan∣ded & to fyght w^t the shyppes & to wyn them yf they colde to dystroy thē & take al theyr prouy∣syon / & th•••••• folow y^e frenssh••ē / not incōtynēt to fyght w^t thē but to hary thē & to kepe thē wa∣kynge & to kepe thē fro goynge a foragynge / & to dystroy thē all y^t were abrode in y^e countrey so y^t therby they sholde famysshe thē / this was y^e opynyon & coūsayle in englāde / & Rochestre brydge was broken where is a grete ryuer ryn¦nynge fro arundel in to y^e coūtye of Essex & en∣treth in to y^e see & in to Tamyse agaynst y^e yle of Tenet / this brydge they of Londō bet dow∣ne to be y^e more surer / & where as taxes & talla∣ges were grete in fraūce on y^e men of y^e townes in lykewyse they were grete y^• season in englā¦de so y^t y^e royalme sorowed it a grete season af∣ter / but they were glad to pay y^e sowdyours to be therby defēded / there were redy in englāde a .C .M. archers & .a.x.M. men of armes besy¦de y^e grete cōpany y^e the duke of Lancastre had in to castel / of whom now we wyll speke some∣what & shew of y^e aquayntaūce y^t was bytwene hym & y^e kyng of Portyngale / & then I shal re∣tourne to speke agayne of englande / for y^e mat¦ter requyreth to speke as wel of y^e one as of the other.