cheveteyn, whiche wolbe a leder of a felowship in werre, he must use
justice to Goddis pleasure; and that he may stand in the grace and favoure
of the worlde, and of his retenu and {31} of other peple undre hym, that
the said chieftein must pay his men of soude so justly and truly, bethout
any defalking [or] abbregging of here wagis, that they have no nede to lyve
by pillage, extorcion, and rapyn uppon the countreis of here frendis that
be yolden undre obeisaunce of here prince. And be this way the ost may
never faut, for then the ost shalbe furnished of alle costis coostis[124]
commyng withe vitailes inoughe; so that it be provided that marchauntes and
vitailers may surely passe and come, and that a payne resonable be made,
that uppon forfeiting that payne no man take vitaile beforce without
payment made in hande, as the proclamacions made by Henry the .v^{the}.,
that victorious prince, in his host. [And also the statutes made by Johan
regent of Fraunce, duc of Bedford, by a parlement at Cane, yn the .ij^{de}.
yeere of [blessed[125]] Henry .vj^{te}., named kyng, uppon the conduyt of
the werre, that I delyvered to your hyghenes enseled, the day before your
departyng out of London, that remayned yn the kepyng of ser Johan Fastolfe
for grate autoritee, a. iij.[126]] And that no damage or offence be done to
the marchauntes. It is fulle gret jupardie and perille to an oost where as
covetise of pillage and rappyne reignithe among men of armes more than
theire entencion is to kepe and meinteine the right of theire prince's
partie. And the worship of chevalrie and knighthode ys that they shulde
peine hem to wynne. And suche as ben of that inordynat condicion of
covetise and rappyne oughte rather be clepid pilleris, robberis,
extorcioneris, than men of armes chevalerous. In example the said dame
Cristen puttithe that the men of armes of the countre of Gaule, whiche now
is Fraunce, that had in a tyme a discomfiture and the overhande uppon the
Romains, being assembled withe a grete oost embatailed upon the river of
Rosne in Burgoyne; and the men of Gaule had wonne gret praies and good, as
horse harneis, vesselle of golde and of silver gret plente; but as to the
worldly goodes they set no count ne prise of it, but cast it into the
river. And in semblable wise it was saide of Johan duke of Bedforde, then
regent, that the day he had the victorie at the {32} bataile of Vernaile,
he exhorted, making an oration to his peple, that they attende not to
covetise, for no sight of juelx and riches of cheynes of golde or nouches
[or] ringis cast before hem or left in the feelde, to take them up, whiche
might be the losse of the feeld, tille God had shewed his power and
fortune; but onely to worship and to doo that that they come for. And so be
the jugement of God had the victorie withe gret worship and riches, be the
raunsonyng of prisoneris, and be rewardis of the said regent in londis and
goodis to every man for theire welle doing that day, rewarded in lifelode
of londes and tenementis yoven in the counte of Mayne to the yerely valeu
of .x.M^l. marcs yerely, whiche was .lx.M^l.li. Turneis, as it is of record
to shew; the whiche was don aftyr the Romayns' condicion, seeing that thei
set so litille by goodis dispising but onely by worship, the whiche the
saide Romains were gretly astonied and dred her power, for thei saw it
never done before. And wolde Jhesus for his highe grace that every prince,
chieftein, or captein wolde be of so noble condicions as is before made
mencion of! I have be credibly enfourmed by tho as were present in bateile
withe the fulle noble and victorius prince of renomme king Henry the
.v^{te}. youre cousin and antecessour, used the saide counceile among his
ostes. And also at the bateile of Agincourt be the exortacion of that
forseyd noble prince Henry the .v^{the}. counceiled to set not be no
tresure, praies, ne juelx and vesselle of golde and of silver, aswelle of
tho that were his there lost, ne of the juelx that he wonne, but only to
his right and to wonne worship. And that also fulle noble prince youre
cousin Johan duke of Bedforde, another victorius prince, folowed his
steppis tho daies that he was regent of the roiaume of Fraunce, and whan
his chariottes of his tresoure and vesselle at the bataile of Vernelle in
Perche was bereved frome hym by Lombardis and other sowdieris holding youre
adverse partie, he comaunded the oost embatailed not forto breke ne remeve
[theyr aray[127]] for wynnyng or kepyng worldly goodis, but only to wynne
worship in the right of Englonde that day, whiche he hadde the victorie to
his grettist renomme.
{33} But yet it most be suffred paciently the fortune that is gevyn to
youre ennemies at this tyme, and late the case be taken for a new lerning,
and to the sharping of goode corages, to the refourmyng and amendement of
theire wittis. For the saide Ovide the lawreat poet saiethe that it
happithe often times that mysaventures lernithe tho that bene conquerid to
be wise. And so at other times in actis and dedis of armes that for lak of
providence or mysfortune were overthrow, enforcethe hem to be conquerours
[another seson.[128]] Here is yet noone so gret inconvenient of aventure ne
mysfortune falle at this tyme, but that it hathe be seene fallen er now [yn
kyng Johan dayes and in kyng Edward iij^d day, as yn hys gret age put owt
of Normandye and off many castells and townes yn Gyen by kyng Charlys the
.v^{te}.[128]]
[Sidenote: Defectus pecuniae ad solvendum soldarios fuit causa una
prodicionis ducatus Normanniae.]
How the duchie of Normandie for lak of a sufficient arme waged in due time,
that king Johan [of England[128]] had not sufficiently wherof to wage [his
peple,[128]] he lost the duchie of Normandie.
[Sidenote: Infinita mala ex sensualitate corporis.]
[Sidenote: .1203.]
For a like mysfortune and overthrow fille unto us for defaute of providence
and helpe in dew tyme, and sensualite of lustis of the bodie idely
mispendid, and for lak of finaunce and goode[gh] to soude and wage goode
mennys bodies over into Normandie and other contrees, ande thoroughe the
umbre of trewes, the hole privacion of your duchie of Normandie, and of
Angew, Mayne, and Torayne, and a gret part of Gascoigne and Guyen, was in
king Johan daies by king Philip dieudonne of Fraunce, the yere of Crist
.M^l.ij^c.iij^o. in the monithe of Maij began.
{34}
[Sidenote: Treugae pluries infractae.]
How many divers times trewes that were taken betwene king Richarde the
first, king Johan, and king Edward the thrid at the finalle peas generalle
betwene tho kinges and the Frenshe kinges, were afterwarde be the Frenshe
partie first broken.
[Sidenote: Nota fallacias Francorum in rupcione treugarum; vide et attende
bene.]
[Sidenote: Treuga pessima a^{o} Xp'i 1259.]
[Sidenote: De infinitis dampnis ex ilia treuga sine pace.]
[Sidenote: De pluribus treugis sine effectu durationis.]
[Sidenote: Edward ij^{d}.]
[Sidenote: Nota pro titulo regis.]
[Sidenote: Effectus maritagii Isabellae reginae heredis regni Franciae.]
[Sidenote: Edwardus ij^{us} duxit Isabellam filiam et heredem Karoli regis
Franciae a^{o}. X^{l}. M^{l}.ccc.xxv^{t}i.]
And thus undre the coloure of trewes at divers times taken atwixt youre
noble progenitoures king Henry the seconde, and also divers treties taken
betwene the said king Johan and king Philip, and also sondry tymes trewes
taken betwene king Richarde the first and the Frenshe king Philip
dieudonne. And notwithestanding so oft tymes trewes and alliaunces taken
and made betwene the forsaide kinges of Englonde and of Fraunce, alle waye
whan the Frenshe partie coude have and fynde any avauntage or coloure to
breke here trewes they did make new werre ayenst this lande. Also there was
another trewes made at Paris the monithe of Octobre the yere of Crist
M^l.cclix. betwene king Henry the thrid and Lowes king of Fraunce, the
whiche king Lowes haveng grete conscience that he heelde bethout title of
right the duchie of Normandie, the counte of Angew, Mayne, and Toureyne,
out of the handis of the kinges of Englonde, therfore toke a trewis withe
king Henry the thridde; and the saide king Lowes graunted and confirmed to
the saide king Henry and to his heires for ever all the right that he hadd
or myght have in the duchie of Gascoigne, withe thre eveschies clepid
diocesis and citees in the saide duchie, that is to witt, Limogensis,
Caourcensis, and Pieregourt. Also at[129] Agenois and Peito. And a peas to
be made atwix bothe kinges undre the condicion that the saide king Henry
thrid shuld relese unto king Lowes alle his right in Normandie and in the
countre of Anjou, of Mayne, and Toreyne, your verray auncient enheritaunce
tailed, whiche albeit if the said king Henry thrid had alone made any suche
relese it was of none strenght ne effect, for it was never graunted be the
auctorite of the parlement of thre astatis of his roiaume. For it is to be
undrestande that be no law imperialle ne by no dew reason can be founded
{35} that a prince may not gyve away his duchees or countees ne his
demaynes that is his propre enheritaunces to a straunge parsone, of what
astate or degre he is, bethout the agrement and consenting of a parlement
of his lordis spirituelle and temporelle, and of his comyns assembled, and
a sufficient nombre of every of hem, as it hathe bene accustumed; so in
conclusion the relese of king Henry thrid to king Lowes was and is voide.
And if any relese of king Lowes to the said king Henry in the said duchie
of Gascoine had be made it standithe of fulle litille effect, becaus it was
the said king Henry propre enheritaunce by his aiel king Henry the second
that weddid dame Alienor duchesse and heriter of Guien, as is before
expressid. And so the said king Lowes relese was a confirmacion of the said
duchie of Guien into king Henry thrid is possession and a disclayme frome
the kinges of Fraunce for ever. Also ther was another trux and pease made
the yere of Crist M^l.cclxxix., at Amyens, betwen king Edwarde first and
king Philip of Fraunce, that the said king Edwarde shulde holde peasibly
all the saide landes in Gascoigne. Another trewes and peas made at Paris
the yere of Crist M^l.ij^c.lxxxvj. betwene the said king Edwarde first and
king Philip of Fraunce for the saide duchie of Guien. Another trews made at
Paris, the yere of Crist M^l.iij^c.iij^o., the monithe of Maij, betwene
king Edwarde first and king Philip of Fraunce, that marchauntes and alle
maner men might passe to bothe roiaumes of Englond and Fraunce bethout
empeshement, and heelde not long. Another trux made in the yere of Crist
M^l.cc.xiij., in a towne clept in Latyn Pissaicus, betwene king Edwarde
second and king Phelip king of Fraunce for the said duchie of Guien. And in
the yere of Crist M^l.iij^c.xxiiij. king Charles of Fraunce and of Navarre
seased certein townes and forteresses in Guien for defaut of homage of the
king Edwarde second for the said duchie of Guien, whiche townes and
forteresses after was delivered ayen to the king Edwarde by the moyen of
Edmonde erle of Kent, his lieftenaunt. Also another pease made in the yere
of Crist M^l.iij^c.xxv. betwene king Edwarde second and king Charles de
Valoys of Fraunce, be reason and meane that {36} the saide king Edwarde
weddid dam Isabel king Charles of Fraunce daughter, [soule[130]] enheriter
of Fraunce; and at that tyme king Edward made Edmond his brother erle of
Kent his lieftenaunt for the duchie of Guyen, whiche fulle nobly governed
and kept that contre.
[Sidenote: a^{o}. X^{l}. M^{l}.ccc.xxv^{t}i.]
[Sidenote: Bellum Scluse.]
Also in semblable wise in the yere of Crist M^l.iij^c.xl. the .xiij. yere
of king Edwarde the thrid, after the saide king had wonne the gret bataile
of Scluse ayenst Philip de Valois his adversarie, and besieged Tourenay in
Picardie, whan the saide Philip de Valois and the [kyngis[130]] Frenshe
lordis were gretly rebuked and put abak, they desired a trux of king
Edwarde frome the monithe of Septembre tille the feest of saint John next
sueng, to the gret damage of the king Edwarde conquest. And the Bretons
making under that colour mortalle werre to this land, but they were kept in
subgeccion, and a gret bataile of descomfiture ayenst them had by the erle
of Northampton, then the kingis lieutenaunt in that parties.
Also the yere of Crist M^l.iij^c.xliij^o., the .xix. day of Januarii,
another gret trux for the yere take withe Philip de Valois calling hym
king, youre saide adversarie, and his allies, and the saide trux broken be
the seide Philip bethin thre yeris after, comaunding the Bretons to make
werre ayenst youre progenitours.
[Sidenote: Obcidio Cane.]
[Sidenote: Bellum Cressye.]
And the noble king Edwarde the thrid, seeing that, in the monithe of Julie,
the yere of Crist M^l.ccc.xlvij^o., the .xx. yere of his reigne, disposed
hym ayen to werre ayen withe the saide Philip, and wanne upon hym the
strong towne of Cane, [and had[130]] the sore fought bataile of Cressy, the
castelle of Calix by a harde siege bethin few daies after leide and
(_unfinished_.)
[Sidenote: De pace finali quamvis non sortiebatur diu effectum.]
[Sidenote: .1363.]
[Sidenote: Chaundos chevalier.]
[Sidenote: De magnificencia Joh'is Chundos.]
[Sidenote: Princeps Edwardus.]
[Sidenote: De pluribus comitatibus in Vasconia sub obediencia regis
Angliae.]
[Sidenote: 1364.]
How notwithestonding a finalle peas was made solempnely be the fulle assent
of king Johan of Fraunce prisoner, as it is the chief auctorite, and
comprehendid in many articles most sufficiauntly grounded by auctorite of
the Pope, confermed that, for alle that it helde not passe .vij. or .viij.
yere after. And so contynued by .xiij. {37} yeris fro the saide tyme mortal
werre continued tille a final generalle peas was made after by agrement of
king Johan of Fraunce that was take betwene the said noble king Edwarde the
thrid and the saide king Johan the monithe of Maij the yere of Crist
M^l.iij^c.lx., at Bretigny, the Pope assentyng, and be mediacion of
cardinales, archebishoppis, bisshoppis, abbotis, dukes, erles, barons, and
lordis, and by the assent of bothe parties of Englande as of Fraunce, and
confermed by the saide Pope and the sacramentis of both cristen kinges,
made bothe by hemselfe and by here commissaries in suche solempne wise that
alle cristen princes wolde have thought it shulde stande ferme and have
bene stable for ever, ande whiche finalle peas dured not scant .viij^{the}.
yere after, but that it was broke fraudulentlie be feyned causes and
colourable quarellis of the Frenshe partie, as of the erle of Armenak and
other lordis of Guien. And after king Charles the .v^{the}, of Fraunce, son
to king Johan, under colour of the seide trux and fynal peas made be his
father, put king Edwarde the thrid and his sonnes and other his
lieutenauntes out of alle his conquest, aswelle of alle the londis that
king Edwarde conquerid in Fraunce, Normandie, Burgoyne, and Flaundres, and
out of many other countee[gh], baronies, and lordshippes, and of a gret
part of the duchie of Guien, whiche countee[gh] and lordshippes in
Gascoigne and Guien were given utterly and plenerlie to doo none homage, ne
sovereinte to holde but of the saide noble king Edwarde, and of alle his
enheriteris, never to resort ayen in homage ne feute to youre adversaries
of Fraunce, as it is expresly enacted and recorded in the registres of alle
the homagieris of Guien and Gascoigne, that was made by the erle of
Armenak, the lorde de la Brette, vicecountes, barons, chevalers, and
escuiers, and alle other nobles of the saide duchies, made to the saide
king Edwarde and to prince Edwarde the duke of Guien the kingis
lieutenaunt; that is to wete, in the cathedralle chirche of saint Andrieu
chirche at Burdeux, the .xix. day of Juilly, the yere of Crist
M^l.iij^c.lxiij., present there ser Thomas Beauchampe erle of Warewik, that
aventurous and most fortunat knighte in his daies, and ser John Chaundos of
Herfordshire {38} vicount de Saint Saveoure [in Normandye,[131]] whiche had
bene in many batailes, and had the governaunce of M^l. speris, and was
comissarie for king Edwarde, withe a fulle grete ost of multitude of peple
well defensid in Guien. And so, after that prince Edwarde had received alle
the homages aboute Bourdeux, Bordelois, and Bassedois, within the
seneschalcie of Gascoigne, than he and the said comissaries went to alle
the countees foloweng and received theire homages and feutees bothe in the
name of King Edwarde .iij^d., and than in like fourme did homage to the
prince as Duc of Guien. And was no differens betwene the bothe homages
doing to the King and to the Duc of Guien, except that homager at his othe
making to the saide duke he reserved the sovereinte and the ressort dew to
his highe soverein seigneur king Edwarde. [So he] toke the homages of alle
the vassallis and subgettis in the seneschalcie of Agenois, after in the
seneschalcie of Landis, after in the counte of Bigorre, then in the
seneschalcie of Pierregort, in the seneschalcie of Caoursyn and Roergev'
and Lymosyn, also in the counte of Engwillom, also in the seneschalcie of
Xantonge, than in the counte of Poitou and Poytiers. By whiche it may be
considerid be the said countees and countrees before specified, it was of a
wide space and many a thousand peple that were at that tyme and yet ought
be under youre obeisaunce. And the saide prince Edwarde and the kinges
commissaries made here journeis by .viij. monithes day as tille the
.iiij^{the}. day of Aprille the yere of Crist M^l.iij^c.lxiiij., or thei
coude receive alle the saide homagiers; whiche now in the yere of Crist
M^l.iiij^c.li., after that hole Normaundie was lost, and also Gascoigne and
Guien yoven up in defaute of socoure [of an armee made[131]] in season,
many of youre saide trew liege peple be overcome by youre adversaries of
Fraunce, and many a thousand peple of nobles and others coherted and be
force ayenst theire hertis wille and entent to become homagiers to youre
saide adversarie by the hole privacion of the saide duchie of Guien, as of
Normandie, whiche withe the helpe of almightie God and {39} saint George,
chief defendoure and protectoure of these youre londis, withe the comfort
of youre true subgectis, shalnot abide long in theire possession ne
governaunce.
[Sidenote: De pace finali.]
[Sidenote: .1420.]
[Sidenote: Pro titulo regis nota.]
And now of late tyme a peas finalle was made and take withe king Charlis
the sext, and the whiche finalle peas made solempnelie at Trois in
Champayne, the .xxj. day of Maij the yere of Crist M^l.cccc.xx., and
registred in the court of parlement, confermed that alle divisions and
debates betwene the roiaume of Englande and the roiaume of Fraunce shulde
for ever cease; and the saide finalle peas heelde not fullie .ij. yeris,
but brake sone after the decese of that victorioux prince king Harry the
.v^{the}., upon his mariage withe quene Katerin.
[Sidenote: De infractione treugarum nota hoc.]
And now last of alle the gret trewes taken and made at Towris betwene Henry
the sext, the innocent[132] prince, and Charlis the .vij^{the}., youre
adversarie of Fraunce, in the said .xxiiij. yere of his reigne, solempnely
sworne and sealed, and sone after broken be the Frenshe partie.
[Sidenote: De continuacione hereditatis ducatus Normandiae. Rollo dux
vocatus Robertus filius magnifici d'ni in regno Daciae vocati
Byercoteferre.]
[Sidenote: Nota causam &c.]
[Sidenote: Nota optime.]
And none of alle these trewes hathe ben observed ne kept, notwithstanding
any sacremente, othes, [or] promisses made by youre adversarie and be his
dukes, erlis, and barones of the seide Frenshe partie, but alway brake the
saide trewes whan they coude take any avauntage ayenst us, as it shewethe
openly, and may be a mirroure for ever to alle cristen princes to mystrust
any trewes taking by youre saide adversarie or his allies and subjectis, be
it the duke of Breteyne, the duke of Orliens, or any suche other his
complisses: for where as youre noble progenitours were seased and possessid
of the said duchie of Normandie sithe that duke Rollo of the nacion of
Denmarke, the yere of Crist .ix^cxij. conquerid it upon Charlis le Simple,
to whome he gave his doughter in mariage withe the seide duchie, and so
hathe continued from heire to heire .cc.iiij^{xx}xj. yere, but after as it
may be cast it was .cc.iiij^{xx}xj. yere that it was nevor in no king of
Fraunce is hande tille it was lost in king Johan is daies of Englande. And
than for suche inconvenientis as was used now be mysfortune under {40} [the
umbre of trewes and for puttyng down Arthur of Breteyn,[133]] it was lost
and yoven up to the seide king Phelip dieudonne in the yere of Crist
M^l.cc.iij., about the first [and second[133]] yere of the seide king
Johan. And frome the saide first yere of king Johan the possession of the
saide duchie of Normandie discontynued .C.xxxvj. yere, that was to the yere
of Crist M^l.ccc.xxxix., that youre right and possession was refourmed by
youre noble progenitoure king Edwarde the thrid, whiche by many yeris leide
segis and had batailes withe Philip de Valois and Johan of Fraunce,
occupieris of that kingdom.
How king Edwarde the thrid made first grete alliaunces withe gret astatis
or he began to make werre in Fraunce.
[Sidenote: Nota de auxilio regis Edwardi.]
[Sidenote: Conciderand'.]
[Sidenote: In cronicis Frodsard.]
[Sidenote: Pax finalis sperata fuit.]
[Sidenote: .1360.]
[Sidenote: Exclamacio.]
[Sidenote: Consideracio.]
And therto king Edwarde allied hym withe fulle mighty princes to socour and
reliefe hym in his werres or he began to set on hem: first withe Lowes
emperoure of Allemayne, to whome he rewardid fifty thousande sak wolle for
perveaunce, and soulde men of werre that he shulde make to helpe king
Edward the thrid in his conquest; and after allied hym to the erle of
Heynew and to the erle of Flaundres, and also withe the duke of Bretein;
the whiche alliaunces was a fulle gret socoure and helpe to his conquest in
Fraunce and Normandie, for he wanne at the first raise that he made over
the see M^l.M^l.v^c. townes and castellis, and soforthe reigned and
continued in armes .xxxiiij. yeris, by putting the Frenshe king and his
allies in gret subgeccion for the right of his enheritaunces, like as who
so lust rede the booke [of] his actis clepid [mayster[133]] Froddesarde
more plainly may perceyve. And so alle his daies contynued tille unto the
tyme that be dissimulacion of the gret peas taken atwix hym and his
prisoner king Johan of Fraunce, made at Bretigny the yere of Crist
M^l.iij^c.lx., that undre umbre of the seid trewes Charles le Sage his
sonne, after the decese of king Johan, did put king Edwarde thrid out of
alle his said conquest in Fraunce and Normandie, and partie of Guyen. And
sithen more effectuelle laboures and dedis of armes {41} hathe be done by
that victorioux prince Henry the .v^{the}., he being parsonelly bothe at
many sieges, leyng at assautes, at batailes, and journeis frome the second
yere of his reigne [exclusyfe[134]] into the day of his trespassement the
space of .vij. yere. Whiche labouris parcellis of them briefly bene
specified before. And there youre obeisaunt subgeitis and trew liege peple
be put owt of their londis and tenementis yoven to hem by youre
predecessoures, as wel as be that highe and mighty prince Richarde duke of
Yorke youre father, being at two voiages lieutenaunt and gouvernaunt in
Fraunce, for service done unto hem in theire conquest, not recompensed ayen
to theire undoing. Heh allas! thei did crie, and woo be the tyme they
saide, that ever we shulde put affiaunce and trust to the Frenshe partie or
theire allie[gh] in any trewes keping, considering so many folde tymes we
have ben deceived and myschevid thoroughe suche dissimuled trewes as is
late before specified. And yet not for alle these inconvenientis that have
falle to us be conspiring of deceitis undre umbre of suche dissimuled
trewes, late it be out of doubte that, thoughe they holde theym never so
proude, puissaunt, and strong, ne so sotill and crafty in suche deceitis
conspiring, they by Goddis might shalbe overcome and brought to the right
astate that it oughte be, where as the title and clayme of thenheritaunce
of Fraunce is verray trew, whan dew diligence have be shewed by us in
executing the saide right, as it is verefied briefly by examples here
before.
[Sidenote: Divina concideracio enodanda per theologos.]
How be it that at som tymes that God suffrithe the partie that hathe a true
title and right to be overcome, yet for alle that a man shulde not be
discouraged alway to sew his right.
[Sidenote: .1450.]
[Sidenote: Infortunium bellum apud Fermenye ultima vice.]
[Sidenote: Gyen.]
[Sidenote: Burdeux.]
[Sidenote: De sancto Lodovico rege Fraunciae.]
And albeit that at som tymes God suffrethe the partie that hathe right and
a trew title, and that livethe after his lawes, to be gretly parsecuted,
and to be put to over gret aventure, laboure, and peyne, some tyme to be
overthrow, some tyme to be prisoner or slaine in {42} bataile be divine
providence whan hym lust to be Juge, thoughe the peple be never so goode,
ne the querelle, title, and right never so trew; and yet not for no suche
adversite and as have fallen the yere of Crist M^l.iiij^c.l., be the last
overthrow of a notable arme at Fremyny, where ser Thomas Kirielle knight,
lieftenaunt in that voiage, [was take prysoner wyth many othyrs to the
nombre about .ix^c.,[135]] a grete caus was that the pety capteins wolde
not obbey at the day of that journay at that sodeyne recountre to her
chieftein, and taried lengir in his voiage after he was londed or he came
to any strong holde was present.[136] Also another gret armee and voiage
fordone for defaut and lak of spedy payment this yere of Crist M^l.cccclj.,
whiche were at last redy to goo to Gyen, the armee taried upon the see
coostis in Englande almost a quarter of a yere or theire payment was redie.
And the cite of Burdeux lost in the meane tyme for lak of rescue. Yet God
defende that thoroughe suche adversitees we shulde be utterly discoraged.
Late us take example in according to this. It is wretin in the booke of
Machabeus, in the .viij. chapitre, how the worshipfull Judas Machabeus,
seeyng Goddis peple gretly febled and abashed be divers discomfitures of
theym, seide to his knightis, A, a, It is bettir to us to avaunce us forthe
and rather to die in bataile then lengre to suffre the gret passions and
troubles of oure infortune. And fro thens forthe by the wille of God, good
corage and comfort taken to theyme, they were made conquerours and had the
victorie in alle theire batailes. Also another example by seint Lowes king
of Fraunce, whiche in encresing the cristyn feithe made gret armees into
the holy land in [about[135]] the yere of Crist M^l.ij^c.lxx., and
suffrethe gret adversiteis among the Sarresyns, he and his knightis
overthrow and take prisoneris to the Soudan of Babilon, and the king put to
gret raunsom paide, his peple died up by gret mortalite of pestilence,
suffred famyne, hungur, and thurst, yet God at the last releved hym, and
[he] came into Fraunce withe gret worship.
{43}
[Sidenote: Animacio.]
An nother exhortacion of the historier.