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 kynge of Amony retour¦ned out of Englande & of the answe∣re that was made to hym. Ca. lvii. (Book 57)

WHen the kynge of Ar∣mony was refresshed at Do¦uer a day and had spoken w^t the kynges vncles at good leysure / then he departed to¦warde London with a good conduyte that the lordes ap¦poynted to hym for fere of ony rencountres / so longe he rode that he came to London / and in his rydynge thrughe London he was well re∣garded bycause he was a straūger / and he had good chere made hym and soo was brought to the kynge who laye in the ryall at the quenes warderobe and his counsayle were in London at theyr lodgynges / the Londonners were fo∣re fortefyenge of theyr cyte / When the comynge of the kynge of Armony was knowen / the kyn¦ges counsayle drewe to the kyng to here what tydynges the kyng brought in that troublous season / when the kynge of Armony was come in to the kynges presence he made his saluta∣cyon and then began his processe on the state howe he was come out of Fraunce pryncypal∣ly to se the kynge of Englande whome he had neuer sene before and sayd howe he was ryght ioyous to be in his presence trustynge that so∣me goodnes sholde come therby / and there he shewed by his wordes that to withstande the grete pestylence y^t was lykely to be in englan∣de therfore he was come of his owne good wyl to do some good therin if he myght / not sent fro the frensshe kynge wyllynge to set some accor∣de and peas bytwene y^e.ii. royalmes englande and fraunce / many fayre plesaunt wordes the kynge of Armony spake to y^t kynge of Englan¦de and to his counsayle / then he was shortly an¦swered thus / syr kyng ye be welcome in to this royalme / for the kynge our souerayne lorde & all we are glad to se you here / but syr we saye y^t the kynge hath not here all his counsayle / but shortely they shall be here / and then ye shall be answered / the kynge of Armony was contente therwith and so retourned to his lodgynge / w^t in .iiii. dayes after the kynge was counsayled / & I thynke he had sente to his vncles to knowe theyr ententes / but they were not present at the answere gyuynge / to go to the palays of West¦mynstre and his counsayle with hym suche as were aboute hym / and to sende for the kynge of Armony to come thyder / and when he was co∣me in to the presence of the kynge of Englande and his counsayle / the kynge sate downe and the kynge of Armony by hym / and then the pre¦lates and other of his counsayle / there y^e kynge of Armony rehersed agayne his requeites y^t he made / and also shewed wysely howe all crystē∣dome was sore decayed and feblysshed by occa¦syon of the warres bytwene Englande & Fraū¦ce / and howe that al the knyghtes and squyers of bothe royalmes entended to nothynge elles but alwayes to be on y^e one parte or of y^e other Wherby the empyre of Constantynoble leseth and is lyke to lese / for before this warre y^e kny¦ghtes and squyers were wonte to aduenture themselfe / & also the kynge of Armony shewed y^t by occasyon of this war he had lost his royal¦me of Armony / wherfore he desyred for goddes sake that there myght be some treatye of peas had bytwene the .ii. royalmes of Englande & Fraunce. To these wordes answered the ar∣chebysshop of Cauntorbury for he had charge so to do / and he sayd / syr kynge of Armony it is not the maner nor neuer was sene bytwene .ii. suche enemyes as the kynge of Englande and the Frensshe kynge y^t the kynge my souerayne lorde sholde be requyred of peas / and to entre his landes with a puyssaunt army / Wherfore syr we say to you y^t yf it please you ye maye re∣tourne

to the Frensshe kynge / and cause hym and all his puyssaunce to retourne backe in to theyr owne countreys / and when euery man is at home / then yf it please you ye maye retour∣ne agayne hyder / and then we shall gladly en∣tende to your treatye. This was all the answe¦re the kynge of Armony coulde gete there / and so he dyned with the kynge of Englande and hadde as grete honoure as coulde be deuysed / and the kynge offered hym many grete gyftes of golde and syluer / but he wolde take noone though he had nede therof but alonely a rynge to the value of a .C. frankes. After dyner he to¦ke his leue and retourned vnto his lodgynge / and the nexte daye departed / and was in two dayes at Douer / and there toke his leue of su∣che lordes as were there / and so toke the see in a passagere and aryued at Calays / & fro thens wente to Sluse / and there he spake with the frensshe kynge / and with his vncles / and shew¦ed them howe he hadde ben in Englande and what answere he had. The frensshe kynge and his vncles toke no regarde to his sayenge / but sente hym agayne backe in to fraunce / for theyr full entencyon was to entre in to Englande as soone as they myght haue wynde and wether / And the duke of Berre and the constable came to them / the wynde was sore contrary to them for therwith they coulde neuer entre in to En∣glande / but the wynde was good to goo in to Scotlande.