4

HISTORY OF THE

[EDWARD HI.

a Chapel of Saint George in the Castle of Windsor, and there establishedCanons to serve God, and most richly endowed them. Then the King sent

to proclaim the Feast, by his Heralds, in France, in Scotland, in Burgundy, in

conduct after the Feast; and that they should be at this Feast on the dayof Saint George following, the year one thousand, three hundred, forty and four,at the Castle of Windsor. And the Queen of England was to be accompaniedby three hundred Ladies and Damoiselles, all noble and gentle ladies, and

great preparations to receive the Ladies and Damoiselles who were coming to

approached the day of Saint George, when that Feast was to be kept in thecastle of Windsor; and there the King of England had a great array of Earls,Barons, Ladies, and Damoiselles, and the Feast was most grand and noble, withgood cheer and good Joustings, and lasted fifteen days. And there came many

une chapelle de Sainct George au chastel de Winderose, Et y establit chanoines pour Dieu servir, et lesrenta moult grandement. Puis envoya le Roy publier la feste par ses heraulx en France, en Escoce,en Bourgongne, en Haynault, en Flandres, en Brabant et en lEmpire dAllemaigne: Et si donnoit atous Chevaliers et Escuyers, que venir y vouldroient, quinze jours de sauf conduit apres la feste. Etdevoit estre ceste feste le jour Saint George en suyvant lan Mil. ccc. xliiii au chastel de Winderose.Et devoit estre acompaignee la Royne dAngleterre de ccc Dames, et Damoiselles, toutes nobles etgentilz dames, et parees richement de paremens semblables.” “ Entandis que le Roy dAngleterrefaisoit son grant appareil de recevoir Dames et Damoiselles que a la Feste viendroient luy vindrentnouvelles du sire de Clisson,”—namely, that Clisson had been beheaded in France; and Froissartproceeds to say it was the King’s intention to put Sir Henry de Leon, his prisoner, to death in retali-ation; that at the Earl of Derby’s request, he abandoned so unworthy an idea, and released him onpaying a reasonable ransom; that he sent for Sir Henry de Leon, acquainted him with his determi-nation, and told him to go to the King of France with a message of defiance, and moreover to declare,“ a tous Chevaliers et Escuyers de dela que pource ne laissent mye a venir a nostre Feste, car nous les

y verrons volentiers, et avront sauf venant et sauf retournant quinze jours apres la Feste.” .

“ Or approcha le jour Sainct George, que ceste feste se devoit tenir au Chastel de Winderose et yfist le Roy dAngleterre grant appareil, Contes, Barons, Dames, et Damoiselles, et fut la Feste moultgrande et noble, bien festoyee, et bien joustee : et dura par le terme de quinze jours ; et y vin-drent plusieurs Chevaliers de deca la mer, de Flandres, de Haynault, et aussi de Brabant, mais deFrance ny eut il nulz.” In the recent publication of the French Chronicles, by Mons. Buchon, a fewvariations occur in this part of Froissart’s narrative, from the earlier editions; but the following onlyis in any degree material. After the account of the publication of the Feast by the heralds abroad,which is rather differently described, and the offer of safe conduct for fifteen days, these wordsare introduced: “ Et devoit etre a cette Fete une joute de quarante Chevaliers de par dedans,attendants tous autres, et de quarante Ecuyers aussi.”

Hainault, in Flanders, in Brabant, and in the Empire of Germany ; and hegave to all Knights and Esquires who would come there, fifteen days of safe

richly attired in like garments. While

the King of

England was making his

the Feast, news came to him from the Sire de Clisson,” &c

“ Now