Volume 1

Chronicles of England, France, Spain, and the adjoining countries : from the latter part of the reign of Edward II. to the coronation of Henry IV / by Sir John Froissart. Tr. from the French editions ; with variations and additions from many celebrated mss. by Thomas Johnes, esq. To which are prefixed, a life of the author, an essay on his works, and a criticism on his history.

  • Jean Froissart
Date:
1868
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Chronicles of England, France, Spain, and the adjoining countries : from the latter part of the reign of Edward II. to the coronation of Henry IV / by Sir John Froissart. Tr. from the French editions ; with variations and additions from many celebrated mss. by Thomas Johnes, esq. To which are prefixed, a life of the author, an essay on his works, and a criticism on his history. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    955/968 (page 761)
    the earl was at Lille; but that he knew nothing more; and that he was about to marry his sister there with the lord Delbauurin. These two knights took great pains to stir up the country and to collect all men of courage : they amounted at last to twelve thousand men, armed with pikes, staves, coats of mail, jackets *, iron caps and helmets, and all of them were, for the greater part, as I was Informed, vassals of madame de Bar, residing between Gravelines and Dunkirk. Three leagues off, and near the road, is iVIardyke, a large village quite open on the sea- shore, whither the English advanced ; and at times there were skirmishes. Sir John Villain and sir John du Moulin arrived at Gravelines with a passport, for which they had waited at Bourbourg, where one of their heralds brought it. On their arrival at Gravelines, and soon after they had dismounted, they waited on the bishop of Norwich, who outwardly gave them a handsome reception and good entertainment. lie had that day at dinner all the barons of his army; for he well knew that the knights of the earl of Flanders were coming, and therefore wished they might meet with them altogether. The knights opened their business, and said to the bishop, “ Sir, we are sent hither by my lord of Flanders.” “ What lord ?” said the bishop. “ The earl of Flanders, sir : Flanders has no other lord.” “ By my God,” replied the bishop, “ we consider it as belonging to the king of France or to the duke of Burgundy, our enemies, for by force of arms have they just conquered it.” “ Under respect to your grace,” answered the knights, “ the territory was loyally remitted at Tournay into the hands and government of my lord the earl of Flanders, who has sent us hither to entreat of you to grant us, who are attached by faith and pension to the king of England your lord, passports to go to England, to the king, to know his reasons for making war on my lord the earl of Flanders and his country without sending him any defiance.” The bishop replied he would consider of it, and they should have his answer to-morrow morning. They could not obtain more at this moment, and retired to their houses, leaving the English in council, who resolved as I shall tell you. Having fully weighed every circumstance, and the enterprise they had aindertaken, they resolved not to grant passports to the two knights to go to England, for the journey was long, and while they were going and returning, the whole country would be secured and greatly strengthened; for the earl, who was a subtle character, might inform the king of France and duke of Burgundy of his situation, by whose means so large a force might in a few days come upon them, that they would be unable to resist it. Having formed this resolution as to the answer they would give in the morning to the knights from Flanders, sir Hugh Calverley was called upon for his opinion, who said to the bishop, “ Sir, you are our commander: you will tell them that we are on the territories of the duchess of Bar, who is a Clementist; that you make war for Urban and no one else ; and that if the people of this country, with the churches and monasteries, will be good Urbanists, and march with you through the country, your men shall peaceably pass, paying for whatever they may want; but in respect to granting them passports to go to England, you will do no such thing; for our war does not regard either the king of Franee or the king of England, but solely pope Urban, whose soldiers we are. It seems to me that such an answer ought to satisfy them.” All present assented to it, and particularly the bishop, who had no other care, whatever might be said or done, but to fight and carry on the war. Thus was this business arranged for the night. On the morrow after mass, the two knights, desirous of having their answer, went to the lodgings of the bishop, and waited until he came out to hear mass, when they ]>laced them- selves before him. Outwardly he seemed glad to see them, and conversed with them on different topics to delay the time until his knights should come. On their arrival the bishoj) said, “ My fair gentlemen, you are come for an answer, and you shall have one. With regard to the request you made to us from the earl of Flanders, I inform you, you may return when you please to the earl; but as to Calais or England, you will go at your perils, for I will not give you any passport. I am not king of England, nor commissioned to do so. I am the soldier of pope Urban, and all those who are with me are so likewise, having taken his money to serve him. We are at this moment on the territories of the duchess of Bar, who is a * “ Hocquelotn’' a quilted garment generally worn beneath steel armour, but oeeasionally used as the sole armour of light troops.—Ed.