One of Monstrelet’s principal characters was John duke of Bedford, regent of France; and your grace has fully displayed your abilities, as regent, to be at least equal to those of your namesake, in the milder and more valuable virtues. Those of a hero may dazzle in this life; but the others are, I trust, recorded in a better place; and your late wise, although, unfortunately, short government of Ireland will be long and thankfully remembered by a gallant and warm-hearted people.

I have the honour to remain,

Your grace’s much obliged,

Humble servant and friend,

Thomas Johnes.

CASTLE-HILL,

March 13, 1808.

CONTENTS
OF
THE FIRST VOLUME.

PAGE
The prologue1
CHAP. I.
How Charles the well-beloved reigned in France, after he had been crowned at Rheims, in the year thirteen hundred and eighty[7]
CHAP. II.
An esquire of Arragon, named Michel d’Orris, sends challenges to England. The answer he receives from a knight of that country[13]
CHAP. III.
Great pardons granted at Rome[38]
CHAP. IV.
John of Montfort, duke of Brittany, dies. The emperor departs from Paris. Isabella queen of England returns to France[39]
CHAP. V.
The duke of Burgundy, by orders from the king of France, goes into Brittany, and the duke of Orleans to Luxembourg. A quarrel ensues between them[42]
CHAP. VI.
Clement duke of Bavaria is elected emperor of Germany, and afterward conducted with a numerous retinue to Frankfort[45]
CHAP. VII.
Henry of Lancaster, king of England, combats the Percies and Welshmen, who had invaded his kingdom, and defeats them[47]
CHAP. VIII.
John de Verchin, a knight of great renown, and seneschal of Hainault, sends, by his herald, a challenge into divers countries, proposing a deed of arms[49]
CHAP. IX.
The duke of Orleans, brother to the king of France, sends a challenge to the king of England. The answer he receives[55]
CHAP. X.
Waleran count de Saint Pol sends a challenge to the king of England[84]
CHAP. XI.
Concerning the sending of sir James de Bourbon, count de la Marche, and his two brothers, by orders from the king of France, to the assistance of the Welsh, and other matters[87]
CHAP. XII.
The admiral of Brittany, with other lords, fights the English at sea. Gilbert de Fretun makes war against king Henry[89]
CHAP. XIII.
The university of Paris quarrels with sir Charles de Savoisy and with the provost of Paris[91]
CHAP. XIV.
The seneschal of Hainault performs a deed of arms with three others, in the presence of the king of Arragon. The admiral of Brittany undertakes an expedition against England[95]
CHAP. XV.
The marshal of France and the master of the cross-bows, by orders from the king of France, go to England, to the assistance of the prince of Wales[103]
CHAP. XVI.
A powerful infidel, called Tamerlane, invades the kingdom of the king Bajazet, who marches against and fights with him[106]
CHAP. XVII.
Charles king of Navarre negotiates with the king of France, and obtains the duchy of Nemours. Duke Philip of Burgundy makes a journey to Bar-le-Duc and to Brussels[108]
CHAP. XVIII.
The duke of Burgundy dies in the town of Halle, in Hainault. His body is carried to the Carthusian convent at Dijon, in Burgundy[110]
CHAP. XIX.
Waleran count de St Pol lands a large force on the Isle of Wight, to make war against England, but returns without having performed any great deeds[114]
CHAP. XX.
Louis duke of Orleans is sent by the king to the pope at Marseilles. The duke of Bourbon is ordered into Languedoc, and the constable into Acquitaine[116]
CHAP. XXI.
The death of duke Albert, count of Hainault, and of Margaret duchess of Burgundy, daughter to Louis earl of Flanders[120]
CHAP. XXII.
John duke of Burgundy, after the death of the duchess Margaret, is received by the principal towns in Flanders as their lord[122]
CHAP. XXIII.
Duke William count of Hainault presides at a combat for life or death, in his town of Quesnoy, in which one of the champions is slain[124]
CHAP. XXIV.
The count de St Pol marches an army before the castle of Mercq, where the English from Calais meet and discomfit him[126]
CHAP. XXV.
John duke of Burgundy goes to Paris, and causes the dauphin and queen to return thither, whom the duke of Orleans was carrying off, with other matters[136]
CHAP. XXVI.
Duke John of Burgundy obtains from the king of France the government of Picardy. An embassy from England to France. An account of Clugnet de Brabant, knight[157]
CHAP. XXVII.
The war is renewed between the dukes of Bar and Lorraine. Marriages concluded at Compiegne. An alliance between the dukes of Orleans and Burgundy[161]
CHAP. XXVIII.
The duke of Orleans, by the king’s orders, marches a powerful army to Acquitaine, and besieges Blay and le Bourg[167]
CHAP. XXIX.
The duke of Burgundy prevails on the king of France and his council, that he may have permission to assemble men at arms to besiege Calais[169]
CHAP. XXX.
The prelates and clergy of France are summoned to attend the king at Paris, on the subject of an union of the church[174]
CHAP. XXXI.
The Liegeois eject their bishop, John of Bavaria, for refusing to be consecrated as a churchman, according to his promise[176]
CHAP. XXXII.
Anthony duke of Limbourg takes possession of that duchy, and afterward of the town of Maestricht, to the great displeasure of the Liegeois[179]
CHAP. XXXIII.
Ambassadors from pope Gregory arrive at Paris, with bulls from the pope to the king and university of Paris[182]
CHAP. XXXIV.
The duke of Orleans receives the duchy of Acquitaine, as a present, from the king of France. A truce concluded between England and France[188]
CHAP. XXXV.
The prince of Wales, accompanied by his two uncles, marches a considerable force to wage war against the Scots[189]
CHAP. XXXVI.
The duke of Orleans, only brother to Charles VI. the well beloved, king of France, is inhumanly assassinated in the town of Paris[191]
CHAP. XXXVII.
The duchess of Orleans with her youngest son wait on the king in Paris, to make complaint of the cruel murder of the late duke her husband[206]
CHAP. XXXVIII.
The duke of Burgundy assembles a number of his dependants, at Lille in Flanders, to a council, respecting the death of the duke of Orleans. He goes to Amiens, and thence to Paris[211]
CHAP. XXXIX.
The duke of Burgundy offers his justification, for having caused the death of the duke of Orleans, in the presence of the king and his great council[220]
CHAP. XL.
The king of France sends a solemn embassy to the pope. The answer they receive. The pope excommunicates the king and his adherents[302]
CHAP. XLI.
The university of Paris declares against the pope della Luna, in the presence of the king of France. King Louis of Sicily leaves Paris. Of the borgne de la Heuse[315]
CHAP. XLII.
The duke of Burgundy departs from Paris, on account of the affairs of Liege. The king of Spain combats the saracen fleet. The king of Hungary writes to the university of Paris[320]
CHAP. XLIII.
How all the prelates and clergy of France were summoned to Paris. The arrival of the queen and of the duchess of Orleans[325]
CHAP. XLIV.
The duchess-dowager of Orleans and her son cause a public answer to be made, at Paris, to the charges of the duke of Burgundy against the late duke of Orleans, and challenge the duke of Burgundy for his murder[331]