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King Edward VII. in his Coronation Robes.

jl/S. Illmitination.

F. C. G.'s
r roissart s

IVlodern Ohronicles

1902

Cold and Pictured

F. Carruthers Gould

LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN. 1903

FROISSART'S MODERN CHRONICLES.
1902.
An Edition on Japan Paper has been prepared
by the Publisher. It is limited to 50 copies, each
of which is numbered and signed by the Author.
Price £i is. net.

FROISSART'S MODERN CHRONICLES.
1901.
With special cover design, decorated title, and
44 illustrations. Fcap. 4to, 3s. 6d.

LONDON : T. FISHER UNWIN.

(All rights reserved.)

3|ere begpunetl) t{)e setonli bolum
of &ir 9!ol)an Jfrojgf^art : in toljiclj au &n tott^ tl)e
Crongclrsf ot (15wat Bretagne, afcica, anti otfier places
atijojnpnffc. in t\it gear of oure %ox^ a tljou^anti
nine Suntireti anti ttoo : in toljidj gear toag
crotoneli oure mo0t Ijifflj retiouteti gfoberagne
lortie I^ing: (Elitoarij vii., fegng of
tije united feinfftiom^ of dBreat
2Bretagne anti 3Ic^ifiri^' fiiffl)
Hefentier of tlje Cljrisften
fagtlj, anti (Emperor
of 31nt)ia, etc.

INTRODUCTION

<• 1 HE kindly reception accorded to my ' ' Froissart' s
Modern Chronicles^' published last year, has
encouraged me to essay another volume chronicling the
principal political events of the year 1902. In this,
as tn my first book, I have attempted to reproduce the
''atmosphere'" of Sir John Froissart, and should
conscientious cidtics, zvho reverence accuracy, find faults
m m,y records, I would plead in excuse that had the
great medicBval gossip himself written the political history
of last year, he might have misinterp7'eted the story as
it would have been told to him, and have failed to
discriminate between figures of speech and facts. For
it is possible that if Sir John Froissart had sui^ived
to come to England for the Coronation in 1 902 he
m,ight have gathered gossip even from that strange
modern m^onster, compounded of a few facts and many
fancies, the Man in the Street. F. CARRUTHERS GOULD.
V

CONTENTS

Prologue .....
Here speaketh the author of the purpose of these chronicles
CHAP.
I. Of the Troubles of the Buffs ....
Of the further discomforts of the Buffs ; how the Earl of
Dtirdans and Sir Caivmell de Bannerman met together,
but could not agree ; how Sir Caivmell would not clean
his slate, and lioiv the Earl ivould not divell within the
Tabernacle ......
How a certain mati-nfhnv, Augustine de Birrell, discoursed
on the ivay of Metaphors and other Jiarmful weapons

II. Of Matters in Parll^:ment . . . ¦ 17
Of the opening of the Parliament of England by King
Edward the Seventh ; of the matters debated therein, and
how Sir Arthur de Balfour did cause a cliange to be
made in the manner of procedure to the end that he and
others might play at golf . . . .17
How the English, being desirous of buying horses for the
army in Africa, sent certain knights and squires
abroad for that business, and of the animals ttiat they
bought . . . . . . .22

viii Contents
¦CHAP. PAGE
III. Of Sir Joseph de Birmingham . . . .26
Of ilie orgulous words spoken by a lord of Almaine ; how
Sir Joseph de Birmingham answered in like manner, of
the repute he gained thereby, and how he went into the
City of London and was there received with great favour 26
IV. Of the War in Africa and Other Matters . -31
Of the war in Africa, how the lord de Kitchener caused
many castles to be builded, and how a certain flying
Dutchman could not be caught . . . .31
Of the evil fortune that befell the lord Paul de Methuen,
how he 7vas sore hurt and taken prisoner, and how the
Dutch shewed him marvellous courtesy . . -35
Oj the death of Sir Cecil de Kimberley of Africa, and of
the Earl of Kimberley of Norfolk in England . -37
V. Of the Ending of the War in Africa . . 40
How the war in Afi-ica was made an end of to the great
joy of the English and the Dutch . . .40
VI. Of the Coronation of King Edward and of Queen
Alexandra . . . . . .48
How King Edward, after that he had appointed a day
for his coronation, fell grievously sick, and of his
marvellous recovery from his malady . . .48
Hoiv the King and Queen were afterwards crowned in
the great church of the Abbey of Westminster . . 50
VII. Of the Strange Adventures of Sir Dickon Seddon 58
Of the journey that Sir Dickon Seddon made from
Maoriland to Africa, how he conversed with the lord de
Kitchener, and how he hastily departed from Africa and
sailed to England . . . .58
Of the further marvellous adventures of Sir Dickon
Seddon, how lu counselled Sir Joseph de Birmingham
and others in England, and the end thereof . . 64

Contents ix
CHAP. PAGE
VIII. Of Changes in the Governance . . .68.
Hoiv my lord of Salisbury withdrew himself from the
governance tvith Sir Michael le Noir, and Sir Arthur
de Balfour became the captain of the Blues, and how
Austen de Birmingham ivas raised up and Jesse de
Collings was put aside . . . . .68-

IX. Of the King's Guests . . . • T^
Hoiv the English and the Almains ivere contrarious one
to the other, and how the Emperor of Ahnaine came to
England to visit his tincle King Edward . .72^
Of the welcome that King Edivard gave to the Emperor
of Almaine, and hotv they took their pleasures together at
Sandringham ...... 74
How the King Dom Carlos of Portugal did also visit the
Ki?ig of England at Sandringham . . .78-
X. Of the Visit of De La Rey, Botha, and De Wet
TO England, and of the Great Drorgan that
Affrayed the English . . . .80-
How the Dutch leaders came to England and were
presented to the King and Sir Joseph de Birmingham,
and how they and Oom Paul ivrote books about the war
in Africa . . . . . .80-
How a great fiionster called the Spearpoint Drorgan came
across the sea and sore affrayed the English . . 86-
XI. Of the Voyage of Sir Joseph de Birmingham to
Africa . . . . ... .90-
How Sir Joseph de Birmingham departed out of England,
and went to Africa, and the reason of his going . . 90-
How Sir Joseph de Birmingham tarried by the way in
Egypt and saiv the Pyramids and the Sphinx. How he
after-wards crossed the Equator, and tlie gifts he received
from Neptune . . . . . -93.

X List of Illustrations

PAGE

How Sir Joseph de Birmingham came to Uganda, and of
the divers wild beasts that aboicnd therein . -97

XII. Of THE Church and its Schools . . ¦ loo
How the Bishops brought petitions to the governance,
praying that the Church might be relieved from the burden
of paying for its schools . . .100
How Sir Arthur de Balfour caused a Bill to be drafted,
and how the governance carried it through Parliament . 103
How the Archbishop of Canterbury passed out of this
mortal life . . . ¦ ¦ .111

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

frontispiece. king EDWARD VII. IN HIS CORONATION ROBES
[MS. lUliwiinailon,)
SIR TOBY DE LUCE ...... 4
SIR CAWMELL DE BANNERMAN CALLETH AT A WAYSIDE INN . 7
THE EARL OF DURDANS REFUSETH TO DWELL WITHIN THE
TABERNACLE . . ... 9
SIR JOHN FROISSART CONVERSETH ON THE WAY WITH
AUGUSTINE DE BIRRELL . . . . .12
THE EARL OF DURDANS PLAYETH AT THE GAME OF METAPHORS 1 4
SIR CAWMELL DE B.A.NNERMAN ALSO PLAYETH AT METAPHORS . 1 5
SIR ARTHUR DE BALFOUR HATH BUSINESS TO ATTEND TO IN
THE COUNTRY .... .20

27
29 33
3436 38

List of Illustrations xi
P.AGE
ENGLISH NOBLEMAN PLAYING AT THE GAME OF GOLF . 2 1
ENGLISH SQUIRE BUYING HORSES FOR THE ARMY IN AFRICA 23
{Remount Records)
SIR BLUNDELL DE MAPLE PROTESTETH THAT TOWEL-HORSES
WOULD HAVE BETTER SERVED THE ARMY THAN THE
HORSES THAT HAD BEEN BOUGHT IN HUNGARY . . 24
(Remount Records)
SIR JOSEPH DE BIRMINGHAM DEFIETH THE LORD VON BULOW
OF ALMAINE ...
SIR JOSEPH DE BIRMINGHAM GOETH TO GUILDHALL
DE WET ......
DE WET ESCAPETH THROUGH THE FENCE
THE LORD PAUL DE METHUEN .
DE LA REY .....
THE KING DESIRETH THAT AN END M.\Y BE MADE OF THE
WAR IN AFRICA . . . . -41
DE LA REY, BOTHA, AND DE WET JOURNEY TO VEREENIGING . 42
THE LORD DE MILNER IS DEEMED TO BE ORGULOUS 44
THE LORD DE KITCHENER COMFORTETH DE WET . . 45
PLAYING AT THE ORGAN IN THE ABBEY CHURCH OF WESTMINSTER 52
(Coronation Records)
THE LORD DE HALSBURY AND THE DUKE OF NORFOLK . 53
(From a Stained-glass U'iinima)
THE EARL OF DURDANS AND THE EARL DE SPENCER . . 54
(From a Stainal-glass Window)
THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY AND THE DEAN OF WESTMINSTER 55
(Coronation Records)
THE DUKE DE MALBROUK AND THE LORD DE LONDONDERRY . 56
(From a Stained-glass Wituloiv)
SIR DICKON SEDDON ON HIS VI AGE TO AFRICA AND ENGLAND . 59
SIR DICKON SEDDON PERFORMETH A WAR-DANCE AFTER THE
MANNER OF THE MEN OF MAORILAND . . .61
SIR DICKON SEDDON DEMANDETH TO KNOW IF THE LORD DE
KITCHENER HATH NEED OF MORE MUTTON FOR THE
ENGLISH ARMY IN AFRICA . . . . 62
THE LORD DE KITCHENER ANSWERETH SIR DICKON SEDDON,
WHO DEPARTETH IN HASTE . . . . -63

xii List of Illustrations

PAGE
SIR DICKON SEDDON IN LONDON . . . -65
SIR DICKON SEDDON CONVERSETH WITH SIR JOSEPH DE
BIRMINGHAM . . . . . . .66
MY LORD OF SALISBURY AND SIR MICHAEL LE NOIR DEPART
FROM THE GOVERNANCE OF THE BLUES . . 69
JESSE DE COLLINGS RETURNETH BACK TO HIS THREE ACRES
AND HIS COW . . . . . -70
THE KING OF ENGLAND AND THE EMPEROR WILHELM OF
ALMAINE SHOOT TOGETHER AT SANDRINGHAM . -75
THE KING OF ENGLAND, THE EMPEROR WILHELM OF ALMAINE,
AND THE PRINCE OF WALES, WITH DIVERS OTHERS, GO
A-HUNTING . . . . . . -77
THE KING DOM CARLOS OF PORTUGAL AND THE PRINCE OF
WALES GO A-SHOOTING . . . . -78
DE WET WRITETH OF THE WAR . . 83
OOM PAUL WRITETH HIS CHRONICLES . . .84
SIR JOHN DE ERODRICK READETH THE CHRONICLES OF DE WET 85
THE GREAT SPEARPOINT DRORGAN . . . -87
SIR JOSEPH DE BIRMINGHAM DEPARTETH ON HIS VIAGE . 92
SIR JOSEPH DE BIRMINGHAM IN EGYPT . . 94
THE SPHINX .... -95
COIN OF SIR JOSEPH DE BIRMINGHAM . 96
(Westminster Records)
SIR JOSEPH DE BIRMINGHAM BEHOLDETH A LION AND A UNICORN 98
THE BISHOPS BRING PETITIONS TO THE GOVERNANCE . . I02
SIR JONAH GORST IS CAST OVERBOARD . . I04
MONK DRAFTING A BILL . . . . . I06
(Education Records)
SIR JAMES DE BRYCE SPEAKETH AGAINST THE BILL . . 107
HUGH OF HATFIELD DESIGNETH A SCHOOL . . I08
DR. JOHN CLIFFORD PREACHING TO THE PEOPLE . . IIO
FRAGMENT OF A BAS-RELIEF DISCOVERED AT WESTMINSTER III
ARCHBISHOP TEMPLE . '. . . . . .112

Froissart's Modern Chronicles
PROLOGUE
Here speaketh the author of the purpose of these chronicles.
IT may be that the first book of these chronicles
was not examined nor corrected so justly as such
a case requireth. Therefore to acquit me in that
behalf, and in following the truth as near as I can, I
have enterprised to set down the true report of the
acts, gests and deeds done in our parts, and in Africa,
in the year of our Lord a thousand nine hundred and
two, and how and with what labours, dangers, and
perils they were gested and done.
Truth it is that I, who have enterprised this book
to ordain for pleasure and pastance, deem it a laudable
and meritorious deed so to do. For history, com
pacted together by the histographier, extolleth, enhan-
ceth, and lifteth up such as ben noble and virtuous ;
depresseth, poistereth, and thrusteth down such as
ben wicked, evil, pushful, and reprovable. What

2 Prologue
pleasure shall it be to the noble gentlemen of England
to see, behold and read the high enterprises, famous
acts and glorious deeds done and achieved in this
time ?
Forsooth and this hath moved me to write these
chronicles, and though I cannot of a surety vouch that
things were as I have set them down in this book,
yet I trust I have not swerved from the true import
of the matters, requiring all readers and hearers to
take this my rude work in gre.

CHAPTER I
Of the further discomjorts of the Buffs ; how the Earl of Durdans and
Sir Cawmell de Bannerman met together but could not agree ; how
Sir Cawmell woitld not clean his slate, and how the Earl would not
d'cvell ivithin the Taberiiacle.
YOU have already seen in the chronicles which I
have before written how that the party of the
Buffs in England was sore troubled, being buffeted
by cross currents when they were at sea, and having
no more comfort on land. When the Earl of Durdans
came up out of the furrow which he had set himself
to plough, and betook himself to Chesterfield to counsel
the people what they should do, the Buffs for the
most part hoped that their fortunes would now mend,
and that they might be in better countenance to with
stand and prevail against the Blues, who had so long
held them in subjection, which they could not in any
wise do while they were divided among themselves.
Indeed for a time it seemed as if matters would
go more smoothly, and that the leaders and the
different parties of the Buffs might draw together and
become less contrarious one to the other, howbeit some

4 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
there were who were sorely vexed, as I have before
shewed you, by reason of the saying of the Earl of
Durdans that it behoved them to clean their slates,
holding this to be evil counsel.

SIR TOBY DE LUCE.

Now much depended on what Sir Cawmell de
Bannerman, who was the leader of the Commoners of
the Buffs, should be minded to do, and men mused,
saying to each other, "What will Sir Cawmell do?

The Discomforts of the Buffs 5
Will he wait upon the Earl of Durdans and swear
fealty to him, or will the Earl join himself to the
banner of Sir Cawmell ? "
I greatly desired to know the truth of this matter
that I might set it down in my chronicles, and, being
in England soon after, it happily chanced that I fell
in acquaintance with a certain knight, Sir Toby de
Luce, who had great knowledge of affairs of state
and was himself a maker of histories.
He was right courteous and told me many things
which I was covetise of learning. I demanded of him
if the Earl of Durdans and Sir Cawmell de Banner-
man had come together.
He answered me, "Ye&."
Then I demanded of him the manner of their
meeting, and in what wise they had conversed.
"That shall I shew you," quoth he, "to the
intent that you may put it in perpetual memory when
you return into your own country, and have leisure
thereto." I was rejoiced of his words, and thanked him ;
then he began thus, and said, "On the Sunday before
Christmas Day in the year of our Lord a thousand
nine hundred and one, it fell about that Sir Cawmell
de Bannerman chanced to find himself near a wayside
inn, where he knew the Earl of Durdans was wont
to lodge when he was not elsewhere. So he drew to

6 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
the door and made inquiry whether the Earl was
within his lodgings, but when he was answered that
the Earl had gone to Matins and was not yet returned,
Sir Cawmell de Bannerman departed back upon his way.
" Now when the Earl of Durdans was told of the
visit that Sir Cawmell had made he sent a message
to him entreating him courteously to eat with him on
the next day.
" Truth it is that Sir Cawmell de Bannerman, on
the Monday following next to the Sunday before
Christmas Day went again to the wayside inn and sat
down with the Earl of Durdans, and they made good
cheer together.
" Also they talked merrily of divers matters, such .
as the weather, and affairs in Scotland. And when
they had made an end of talking. Sir Cawmell de
Bannerman gave thanks to the Earl of Durdans for
his courtesy and entertainment and so rode home
again." Then I, Sir John Froissart, said, "Sir Toby, I
believe you well," howbeit I had great marvel that these
two, the Earl of Durdans and Sir Cawmell de Ban
nerman, had conversed of such light matters, and had
not, when they met together, taken counsel what
might be done to remedy the grievous plight of the
Buffs. And of a surety I have been told by others that

SIR CAWMELL DE BANNERMAN CALLETH .4.T A WAYSIDE INN.

8 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
these two did converse in such manner, but that they
could in no wise agree in the matter of the giving of
Home Rule to the Irish, the Earl of Durdans being
stoutly set against such enterprise on the part of the
Buffs. Now I cannot say what is the truth of this matter,
but that they could not agree altogether, or indeed at
all, is manifest by reason of what the Earl of Durdans
and Sir Cawmell de Bannerman thereafter said to
their friends.
Quoth Sir Cawmell, "Are not two parties in the
state enough ? Where then is the need for a third ?
Moreover I know not what counsel the Earl of
Durdans would give us, for he does not shew us his
ideas clearly, but in parables and metaphors which
cannot be understood. Now he talks of spades, and
anon of phylacteries and slates."
And the Earl of Durdans went about saying, "The
evils that afflict the Buffs can only be cured by spades
and clean slates, and in no wise by methods of
barbarism." This continued as I have shewed you for a two
or three weeks, and how it came to an end I will now
relate to you.
On the nineteenth day of February in the year
of our Lord a thousand nine hundred and two, a
five days after the Feast of St. Valentine, Sir Cawmell

The Discomforts of the Buffs 9
de Bannerman went on a pilgrimage to Leicester to
speak to an assembly of the Buffs who had gathered
together there to take counsel about the affairs of the
party. And he spoke to them in this wise : " The
Earl of Durdans doth injustice to us in that we know

^V// \\j/.

THE EARL OF DURDANS REFUSETH TO DWELL WITHIN THE
TABERNACLE.
not to this day whether he is inside or outside our
Tabernacle." Moreover Sir Cawmell declared that he would by
no means clean his slate as the Earl of Durdans had
counselled.

lo Froissart's Modern Chronicles
Now when it was shewed to the Earl of Durdans
what Sir Cawmell de Bannerman had said, he was
sorely vexed.
Quoth he, " I will give Sir Cawmell de Banner-
man a right speedy answer. Let him know that I
am not minded to dwell within the Tabernacle wherein
he is pope, but shall remain outside with my clean
slate, and thereto I will ever stand."
These disputations and differences caused great
discomfort to the Buffs, who were now in more
pitiful case than they had been even herebefore, for
some of the Buffs, with whom, as rumour runneth,
were Sir Henry Asquith, Sir Edward de Grey, and
Sir Henry de Fowler, cried "A Chesterfield." Others
there were who agreed the rather with Sir Cawmell
o
de Bannerman, and these cried " A Leicester," the
chief of whom were Sir Harcourt de Malwood and
Sir John de Morlaix.
But many of the Buffs were vexed greatly, saying
that they were better without leaders than to have
such as disputed so hotly between themselves to the
grievous discomfort and undoing of the party, and to
the great joy of their enemies, the Blues.

of Metaphors and Harmful Weapons 1 1
How a certain man of law, Augustine de Birrell, discoursed on the
7vay of Metaphors and other harmful weapons.
You may well understand, as I have before told
you, that I was greatly covetise of knowing the true
original and foundation of all these matters which I
have shewed you, and to that end I sought the
company of a certain Augustine de Birrell, a man of
law, and one of the counsellors of the King. Discreet
he was, and full rich of excellence and of reverence.
He had great knowledge of the affairs of the Buffs,
by whom he was had in honour and esteem. More
over he excelled in wit as well as wisdom, and was
of a merry countenance and conversation. I had
wondrous pleasure and entertainment of his company,
and when it fell about one day that I encountered
him as we were the both of us riding on the road to
Westminster, I demanded of him to know what were
the true causes of the disputations and contrariousness
between the Earl of Durdans and Sir Cawmell
de Bannerman and the divers parties of the Buffs.
First I asked of him what was the meaning of
the slate, the cleaning whereof the Earl of Durdans
had counselled to the vexation of Sir Cawmell de
Bannerman and certain of his followers.
Quoth the man of law, "You must know that
slate is a substance which, if it be rudely handled,

SIR JOHN FROISSART CONVERSETH ON THE WAY WITH AUGUSTINE DE RIRRELL.

Of Metaphors and Harmful Weapons 13
sphtteth into thin sections and cannot in any wise be
made whole again."
Then I demanded of him where this slate might
be found, and what was the nature of the writing
thereon which the Earl of Durdans would have to
be cleaned. "Of a truth," the man of law answered me, "I
know not if there be any such slate, or ever was."
I had great marvel of this and inquired how a
slate might be cleaned if there were indeed no such
thing. Whereupon the man of law made merry at
my bewilderment, saying that he believed of a surety
the slate and the tabernacle were metaphors, and
could neither be written upon, nor cleaned, nor
dwelt in.
Then he shewed me what manner of thing a
metaphor is.
"It is," quoth he, " a figure of speech
of contrarious and perilous creation, for it ariseth
out of a word that hath been taken away out
of the place to which it pertaineth of right, and is
put where it is not clearly understood and cannot
easily be explained."
Upon this I demanded to know why the leaders
of the Buffs were so sore vexed with one another
about matters which existed not but were only figures
of speech. He answered me, "Of a truth I cannot

14 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
tell you, but certain it is that men are ever minded
to quarrel more fiercely over things that are unreal
than those that are real. And these disputations are
not easy to make an end of, seeing that things
which do not exist cannot in any wise be proved.

THE EARL OF DURDANS PLAYETH AT THE GAME OF METAPHORS.

You may well wonder that men make use of
metaphors, for they are a sore peril to them against
themselves." I demanded how this might be. The man of
law answered me, "A metaphor is in truth a sort of
a boomerang. This boomerang, you must know, is a

of Metaphors and Harmful Weapons 15
weapon that certain wild men who dwell in lands on
the other side of the world have great skill in using.
When they throw it in battle it striketh the enemy
and then straightway returneth to him from whom it
departed. Thus the wild man saveth his weapon, but

SIR CAWMELL DE BANNERMAN ALSO PLAYETH AT METAPHORS.

if he be not skilled then the boomerang may chance
to come back and do him grievous hurt. In like
manner, when the leaders of the Buffs would do injury
to others by metaphors, they oftentimes get the greater
hurt themselves by reason of the recoiling back."

1 6 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
All these things which the man of law right
courteously shewed to me I did put in writing,
because I would not forget them. It was a marvel
lous thing and of poor foundation that this mischief
should be among the Buffs to their undoing, but I
speak thereof as it was done and of the incidents
thereof But howbeit the leaders and the divers sections of
the party seemed to be so contrarious one to the
other, of a surety I am minded to think that after all
they did but differ as to how they might agree.

CHAPTER II
Of the opening of the Parliament of Englatid by King Edward the
Seventh ; of the matters debated therein, and how Sir Arthur
de Balfour did cause a change to be made in the manner of
procedure to the end that he and others might play at golf.
IN the year of our Lord a thousand nine hundred
and two, on the sixteenth day of January, on a
Thursday, began a parliament at Westminster holden
by King Edward the Seventh, at which time there
were assembled princes and prelates of the realm of
Britain to a great number, and also dukes, marquesses,
earls, viscounts, barons, and of every shire and town
a certain. Thus the people assembled at Westminster, there
being present the King and the Queen, and there the
King did make speech to the lords and the commons
shewing what things the government might, could,
would, or should be about to do, if time permitted.
And when he had made an end of speaking the
commoners departed to their places, some to see how
much might be undertaken, and others to consider
how they might hinder them.

1 8 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
Now it is to be remembered that in England the
Blues and the Buffs, albeit they fight fiercely when
they draw out into the country to encounter each
other, for the most part they contend only in disputa
tions in the parliament house at Westminster. Therein
the Blues sit on the right-hand side of the Lord
High Chancellor, or Sir Speaker as the case may be,
and the Buffs on the left-hand side. But it is
strictly ordained that they shall in no wise, when
they of the commons discourse, speak discourteously
of or revile rudely those who are over against them.
And if one should chance to do so, straightway he is
called to order, and if he be contrarious and refuseth
to take back that he hath said in offence, incontinent
he is put forth and hanged for a certain time in
accord with rules thereto made and provided. I had
great marvel of this when it was shewed me, and
of a surety I doubted if it were truth, for never have
I seen this cruel business done, nor do I know the
place of suspension unless it be done secretly in the
clock tower that adjoineth the parliament chamber,
and is the dungeon thereof
In like wise no knight or squire may wear his
sword or other weapon when he entereth the council
chamber. Moreover it hath been shewed me that on
either side of the chamber where they sit there is
drawn a line, beyond which no man when he riseth

Affairs of Parliament 19
to speak may adventure, and these two lines are
apart one from the other beyond the length of a
sword stroke, so that no evil may be done.
Now let us speak of one or two of the divers
matters that were debated in this parliament of the
year of our Lord a thousand nine hundred and two.
Firstly was there the cause of certain changes of
procedure in the business of the chamber which were
greatly desired by Sir Arthur de Balfour, the leader
of the Blues in the Chamber of Commons, and who
next to my lord of Salisbury was highest in the
governance. He counselled that such changes should
be made whereby the men of parliament might depart
out of London, if such was their will, of a Friday
afternoon. Quoth he, "There be many of us who have much
business to attend to in the country of a Saturday,
which heretofore we have been hindered in."
In the end this was done as I have said, howbeit
many there were who contended that it was an evil
adventure, and that Sir Arthur de Balfour was
minded to play and not to occupy himself with any
business on the last day of the week.
And they spake in this wise, " Sir Arthur de
Balfour hath less care for the business of the realm
than for the game of golf in which he taketh great
pleasure. To that end he hath set himself to over-

20 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
turn the ancient customs of Parliament to the great
prejudice of the realm, a thing which should in no

SIR ARTHUR DE BALFOUR HATH BUSINESS TO ATTEND TO IN THE
COUNTRY.
wise be fortuned." But, as I have told you, Sir
Arthur de Balfour prevailed in this business, which
gave great joy to those who loved pastimes.

Affairs of Parliament 21
For it is a marvellous thing what store these
English set on games that are played with ball, and
the man who striketh or kicketh a ball skilfully is
held in regard more than if he excelled all others in
wisdom. You must know that this game of golf is played
in this wise.

ENGLISH NOBLEMAN PLAYING AT THE GAME OF GOLF.

A man goeth forth having with him a boy who
beareth a bag full of clubs of divers and strange
shapes. Then the man putteth down on the grass a
small white ball which he smiteth, or essayeth to
smite, with one of the clubs, to the end that he may
cause it to fall into a hole in the ground.
The fewer strokes that the player hath need to
make the more joy he hath, but if, when he striketh,

2 2 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
the ball goeth only a little way off, or falleth by hazard
into a thorn bush or a ditch, he muses sorely, and
oftentimes sweareth horribly. And this game of golf,
as I have been informed, taketh a man in like manner
as a fever, which, when once it entereth into the veins,
ever increaseth in violence. If a man play not well
when he essayeth the first time, he hath hope that he
will do better the next time, and so continueth. And
if he play well the first time, then he thinketh himself
to be of great puissance, and so is encouraged. In
England, as you may well believe, this game of golf
is held in great honour, and among those who take
pleasure therein are many nobles of high degree and
puissance in the governance, and this was right well
apparent when the Parliament of England set itself to
change its ancient laws of procedure as I have shewed
you.
How the English, being desirous of buying horses for the army in
Africa, sent certain knights and squires abroad for that business,
and of the animals that they bought.
Another matter there was that was much debated
in Parliament, and that had caused great murmuring.
This was the business of the buying of horses for the
war in Africa, of which I shall presently speak. You
must know that when they of the governance of the
Blues were informed that their enemies, against whom

Buying Horses for the Army 23
they were fighting, rode on horses, incontinent they
hasted to procure some for their own army, and to
this end they sent certain knights and squires abroad
to buy whatsoever animals they might imagine to be
horses. Now, when these tidings anon spread in F'rankfort,

ENGLISH SQUIRE BUYING HORSES FOR THE ARMY IN AFRICA.

(^Remount Records.)

and Buda Pesth, and Judsea, the copers and all those
who made profit by buying and selling accorded
together that they should get great advantage from
this business. And of a truth I believe well that they
did so, for wheresoever the English knights or squires,
who were commissioned in this business, arrived and

24 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
caused to be known the reason of their comine, the
horse-dealers and copers and gipsies came thither to
themward with multitudes of animals, which, so they
said, were horses. Whether this was so or not I

SIR BLUNDELL DE MAPLE PROTESTETH THAT TOWEL-HORSES WOULD
HAVE BETTER SERVED THE ARMY THAN THE HORSES THAT HAD
BEEN BOUGHT IN HUNGARY.

(Remount Records!)

cannot of a surety say, but, as I have been in
formed, the English knights and squires purchased all
the animals that were brought to them that had four
legs. And if it fortuned that they refused any animal
because it bore only three legs, then that same animal

Buying Horses for the Army 25
was brought to them again at night and sold. All
these things were alleged by those who found fault
with the governance, and indeed I well believe them,
for it was shewed to me that for the most part the
horses that were obtained in this wise fell in pieces,
or brake in two when the soldiers in Africa would
have ridden on them. This business was a grievous
scandal and a great prejudice to the army and to the
realm, for by it the war endured for a long season,
seeing that the English could not overtake and make
prisoners of their enemies.
Many even of the Blues were sore vexed, saying
that things were not as well done by the governance
as they should be ; and among those who murmured
in this wise was a certain knight, Sir Blundell de
Maple, who had great knowledge of horses. Quoth
he, " Marry, but they had better have sent towel-
horses to Africa than the animals that they have
bought in Frankfort, and Buda Pesth, and Judaea."

CHAPTER III
Of the orgulous words spokefi by a lord of Almaine ; how Sir Joseph
de Birmingham answered in like manner, of the repute he gained
thereby, and how he went into the city of London, and was there
received with great favour.
IT might well be imagined, seeing the war in Africa
was not yet made an end of, and that the cost
thereof was a heavy burden on the people, and many
still continued to be killed or sore hurt, that Sir
Joseph de Birmingham would have been held in less
regard than heretofore. Indeed, this for a time was
as I have said, and ill might it have fortuned him but
for an adventure which I will relate to you.
A certain lord of Almaine, called Von Bulow, spake
orgulous words to Sir Joseph de Birmingham, saying
that it behoved him not to be so presumptuous. For
you must know that Sir Joseph had said that the
English were no more cruel in the war they were
making against the Dutch in Africa than the Almains
had been when they fought with and overcame the
French.

Sir Joseph goeth to the City 27
When Sir Joseph de Birmingham heard how the
lord Von Bulow spake, he regarded him right fiercely
and felly, and defied him. Quoth he, " What I have

SIR JOSEPH DE BIRMINGHAM DEFIETH THE LORD VON BULOW
OF ALMAINE.

said I have said, nor will I any wise withdraw back
from nor qualify. I desire not to teach manners to
foreign lords, neither will I suffer any such to teach

2 8 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
me. I owe no allegiance, but all only to my own
rightful lord King Edward the Seventh, and I am
responsible to none but my own countrymen of Bir
mingham and England, therefore am I not minded to
suffer orgulous counsel that is made in Almaine."
This defiance of the lord of Almaine by Sir Joseph
de Birmingham gave great joy to the English, par
ticularly to the Blues within the city of London, and
these said that Sir Joseph had done well in so speak
ing, and deserved that he should be enrolled as a
citizen, and that a casket of "gold should be given to
him. And so on the thirteenth day of February, on a
Thursday in the year of our Lord a thousand nine
hundred and two, on the day before the Feast of St.
Valentine, Sir Joseph with his squires and retainers
rode to the cityward and so to the Guildhall, where
was a great assembly of the Lord Mayor and his
Aldermen, and his Sheriffs, and his City Marshal, the
which was apparelled so that it was a marvel to see,
besides a fair rout of citizens. And they all made
obeisance to Sir Joseph de Birmingham, and greatly
recommended him for that he had withstood the lord
of Germany. They had, moreover, been minded, as it hath been
shewed me, to present to him a casket of gold, but
it fortuned that this had not yet bee'n made, and so

1-1
?-1 <ap.|j3 oo H w
H H
OO O gS

HPW 63

30 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
the Lord Mayor excused himself and pledged his faith
that whensoever the casket was delivered from the
hands of the goldsmiths they would send it to him by
a trusty messenger. And when they had all made an
end of speaking, the Lord Mayor and his Aldermen,
and his Sheriffs, and his Counsellors, and the City
Marshal, and divers of the burgesses and commonty
of the city did conduct Sir Joseph de Birmingham to
the Mayor's lodging, where was spread a great feast,
and there they made Sir Joseph good cheer with
many turtles and much white wine and red.
It was a marvel how greatly in this wise was Sir
Joseph de Birmingham honoured in the city of London,
and none durst speak against anything he had done.
Thus Sir Joseph, for all he might have been thought
to be in peril of losing favour with the people, was
of greater puissance than he had ever been hereto
fore.

CHAPTER IV
Of the war in Africa, how the lord de Kitchener caused many castles to be
builded, and how a certain flying Dutchman could not be caught.
LET US now speak of the war in Africa, which
continued after it had been ended. When
the Earl de Bobs departed on his viage back to
England, the lord de Kitchener led the English army,
and daily there were scrimmishes made with the
Dutch, and men slain on both parties and prisoners
taken. The Dutch shewed great hardness and fought
with great honour ; the Englishmen were many more
in numbers, howbeit, I say not but they did nobly
acquit themselves.
But you must know that Africa is a large country,
and it was sore travail to the English to safeguard
their convoys with victuals and purveyances, and to
search out where the Dutchmen were assembled so
that they might force them to fight in the plain field.
For the Dutch were so well horsed that they were
able to escape whensoever they would, and the
Enoflish could in no wise overtake them.
When the lord de Kitchener perceived this matter
clearly he caused to be builded a great number of

32 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
little castles, a mile apart each from the other, and
these were joined together by, fences of wire in the
which were woven sharpened barbs. These castles
were set all round about the country on all sides, to
the intent to hold the Dutch within in manner as if
besieged, for the English could not overcome them
thereas as they were. And when the English, as they
thought, had encompassed the Dutch wholly in this
wise they drew forward to drive them so that they
might make prisoners of them.
Some prisoners, indeed, were taken, but it was
great marvel how swift the Dutch were on their horses
and how they avoided the English and so escaped.
Thus continually the English were fain to make
watch, and to send out scoutwatches a mile off to
see ever if any such people as they were informed of
were coming to themward, to the intent that if their
scoutwatch heard any noise or moving of people,
then incontinent they should give them knowledge,
whereby they might quickly haste together where
they weened the Dutch might be.
Now there was a certain De Wet, one of the
chief leaders of the Dutch, of great skill in war, of
high pride and bobance,i and of marvellous courage,
and oftentimes he did great damage to the English
by sudden excursions. ' Confidence.

The War in Africa 33
But the English, for all that he withstood them
so stoutly, held him in high repute, and in England,
as I have been told, it was a common jangle among
the people to enquire of one another, "Is De Wet
yet made a prisoner of?"
I will now speak of a certain notable adventure.

DE WET.
the like of which I ween had not been done sith
the days of Hannibal. It was in this wise.
The Englishmen were chasing De Wet, following
hard upon him, and he was in great peril of being
taken, seeing that the fence of wire was in front,
and the English behind.

34 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
Then he mused sorely how he might escape, and
anon he bethought himself of a way. So he gathered

DE WET ESCAPETH THROUGH THE FENCE.

together a great herd of oxen and, putting himself
and those that were with him in the midst, they

The War in Africa 35
affrayed the beasts so that they ran violently and
brake down the fence, and so for the most part
escaped ; howbeit some of the Dutchmen there were
who were slain in the adventure.
This the Dutch did a two or three times, so that
it was a marvel to the English.
Of the evil fortune that befell the lord Paul de Alethuen, how he ivas sore
hurt and taken prisoner, and hoiv the Dutch shoived him marvellous
courtesy.
It irks me to tell of the evil fortune that befell the
lord Paul de Methuen, one of the leaders of the
English in the war in Africa, but, though the adven
ture was sore displeasant to the good people of
England, I cannot forget or abridge my history in
anything, seeing that I have set myself to the
intent to shew you plainly matters as they were. It
chanced that the lord Paul, being on a viage with his
army, lodged for the night at a place called Twee-
bosch. And the next morning at sunrise the vaward
advanced forward on the way, and after they had
gone a league or more then the lord Paul commanded
that the carts and charettes drawn by oxen should follow.
Also he ordained that there should be a rearband,
and scurrers ' who should ride apart on both wings
to the intent that if they escried the enemy they
should give the lord Paul knowledge of the matter.
' Scouts.

36 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
This was accomplished as it had been ordained,
but when presently the rearband perceived a host of
the Dutch riding furiously to encounter them they,
for the most part, did not abide puissantly, but re-

rc^

THE LORD PAUL DE METHUEN.

culed them aback without good array among the
carts and charettes and the oxen. Thus was there
so great a confusion set up that the lord Paul could in
no wise remedy it, and so the Dutch, whose captain
was one De la Rey, a soldier of great skill and

The War in Africa 37
courage, brake in upon the English and slew and
made prisoners of a great many.
The lord Paul himself, albeit he fought valiantly,
as he was ever wont to do, was grievously hurt and
unhorsed, and fell into the hands of the Dutch.
Howbeit the Dutch treated him and those that they
had taken right courteously, and tended them that
were wounded. And a day or two after they con
veyed the lord Paul to the English camp and yielded
him up, which, I trow, was a deed of great noblesse
and gentleness.
Pity it was that the lord Paul de Methuen, who
had fought from the beginning of the war, should
meet with this evil fortune. And this was the more
pity because the war was so soon afterwards made
an end of, as I shall shew you presently.
All such as in cruel battles have been seen abiding
to the discomfiture, sufficiently doing their devoir,
may well be reputed for valiant and hardy, whatso
ever was their adventure.
Of the death of Sir Cecil de Kimberley of Africa, and of the Earl of
Kimberley of Norfolk in England.
In the mean season between the adventures in
Africa, of which I have herebefore told you, and the
ending of the war, it fell about that there departed
out of this world two notable Englishmen, howbeit

38 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
of different conditions. The one was Sir Cecil de
Kimberley, who was of great puissance in Africa,
and who had been the chief of the Free Company of
Charterland, until the evil adventure of the upsetting

^v/a

DE LA REY.

of his apple cart, of which I have already .spoken in
the first book of my chronicles.
Many there were in England who were sore
abashed by the adventure and greatly blamed Sir
Cecil for it.

The Death of Sir Cecil de Kimberley 39
But when he fell sick and the sickness continued
so long that it was plainly seen there was no remedy,
all men accorded that it was great pity this was so,
for though he had not always been wise in his enter
prises, yet he loved England greatly and desired her
puissance. He died in Africa in the year of our Lord a
thousand nine hundred and two, on the twenty-sixth
day in the month of March, and his body was carried
into Charterland, and there was he buried in the
Mountains of Matoppo.
And there were present at the burying many of
the natives of the land who grieved sorely that Sir
Cecil de Kimberley, whom they called the Great
White Chief, had departed from them.
And in the same year of our Lord on the eighth
day of the month of April, there passed out of this
mortal life the Earl of Kimberley of Norfolk in
England, one of the leaders of the party of the
Buffs, of great virtuousness and high repute.
He bare for arms, sable : a chevron or, gutt6 de
sang, between three cinquefoils ermine, and for crest a
dexter arm couped below the elbow, vested argent,
and grasping a club or. And he bare for motto
" Frappe Fort."

CHAPTER V
How the war in Africa was made an end of to the great joy of the
English and the Dutch.
LET US now speak of the manner that the war in
Africa that continued after it had been ended
was at last made an end of. You may well believe
that the English, howbeit they were in no wise minded
to withdraw aback from the enterprise, but had set
themselves other by fairness or by vigour to bring
the Dutch to accord or to overcome them, were sore
vexed at their fumishness,' and that they would still
continue to fight felly and would not yield them.
Now, though I cannot of a surety vouch for the truth
of all the things that I have set down in this high
and excellent history, yet have I recorded nothing
that has not been plainly shewed me by those right
well able to speak by the true report.
You must know that King Edward the Seventh of
England had caused a proclamation to be made
throughout the land that on the Thursday in the
' Obstinacy.

The Ending of the War 41
month of June, on the twenty-sixth day of the month,
in the year of our Lord a thousand nine hundred and
two, he would go in state with the Queen to the
Abbey Church of Westminster to the intent that they

TCQ

THE KING DESIRETH THAT AN END MAY BE MADE OF THE
WAR IN AFRICA.

might there be crowned by the Archbishop of Canter
bury and the Archbishop of York.
Also he caused to be sent messages to the noble
and great lords and ladies, and divers others, com-

42 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
manding them to attend on the day appointed, and
bidding them to come beseen in such manner as by
right pertained to them.
The King, of a truth, was minded that there should
be nothing lacking to the end that this coronation
should be a right noble and glorious pageant.

DE LA REY, BOTHA, AND DE WET JOURNEY TO VEREENIGING.
It irked him that England might still be at war
when the day came, and he sorely mused how peace
might be attained.
So he desired that Sir Joseph de Birmingham
might be sent for, and when he had come and had
made obeisance the King demanded of him what

The Ending of the War 43
might be done to this end, saying, " Now is the time
come to have an end of this war." I cannot tell you
what was the answer that Sir Joseph de Birmingham
made, or indeed if this was in any wise as I have
related, but I will continue to believe it until better
reason to the contrary hath been shewed me.
Certain it is that a little time after news came
from Africa that there were truchemen going to and
fro between the English and the Dutch.
The Dutchmen at the first were contrarious,
demanding conditions to which the lord de Kitchener
would not accord, but in a two or three weeks it fell
about that De Botha, De Wet, De la Rey, and
others of the chief men of the Dutch came together
to a place called Vereeniging, and there they con
ferred with the lord de Kitchener and the lord de
Milner. Now the Dutch greatly liked the lord de Kitchener,
for all that he had fought against them with great
hardness and valiance, and had much discomforted
them. But the lord de Milner they misliked somewhat,
for they deemed him to be orgulous.
The lord de Kitchener conversed right pleasantly
with the Dutch' captains, so that they inclined to make
peace and to swear fealty to King Edward. And
whensoever he saw that De Wet or any other of the

44 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
Dutchmen was cast down, and not at his ease, he
would smite him merrily on the shoulder, saying,
" Have good cheer, sir, be not so melancholious."

rcg,

THE LORD DE MILNER IS DEEMED
TO BE ORGULOUS.

This gave great offence to the lord de Milner,
and he counselled the lord de Kitchener to be not

The Ending of the War 45
so familious with the Dutchmen, but to bear himself
with more dignity as beseemed him.
But the lord de Kitchener made merry at this.
Quoth he, " This is my business. I have done
the fighting heretofore, therefore let me now make an
end of it, for such is my right."

THE LORD DE KITCHENER COMFORTETH DE WET.
This was sore displeasant to the lord de Milner,
as I have been informed. Also it hath been shewed
me that he sent letters to the governance in England
making great murmuration that the lord de Kitchener
should deal in this wise with the Dutch.
But the governance answered that they had great

46 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
affiance in the lord de Kitchener, and that it was
behoveful to let him do as he would.
And so after many conferences at Vereeniging the
Dutch captains bethought them that they would go
back to their companies to give them knowledge of
the conditions they might obtain from the English, if
they yielded themselves up and made an end of resist
ance. This was done as I have said, and when De
Botha, De Wet, De la Rey, and the others of the
Dutch leaders had shewed the whole matter plainly
to the companies, these agreed that they would accept
the conditions that the lord de Kitchener and the
lord de Milner had made, and that they would swear
fealty to King Edward the Seventh, holding them
selves from thenceforth to be subject to him, and to
be no longer subject to Oom Paul and Steyn as
heretofore. And so at midnight on a Saturday, the seventh
day of June, in the year of our Lord a thousand nine
hundred and two, the lord de Kitchener and the
lord de Milner for the English, and the others of
whom I have spoken, for the Dutch, set their seals
to a covenant that the Dutch should surrender their
arms, and that the English should not confisc nor put
any to death, but should reedify the dwellings that
had been brent or destroyed during the war.

The Ending of the War 47
And in this wise there was made an end of the
war in Africa that had been begun on the eleventh
day of October, in the year of our Lord a thousand
eight hundred ninety and nine.
This agreement was right pleasant both to the
English and the Dutch, and great were the rejoicings
thereat in England and her dominions.
And great honour was given to all who had done
their devoir, fighting hardly and with great valiance
on both sides.

CHAPTER VI
How King Edward, after that lie had appointed a day for his Corona
tion, fell grievously sick, and of his marvellous recovery from his
malady.
YE have heard herebefore how that King Edward
the Seventh of Great Britain and Ireland and
of all the Empire over the seas had decreed that he
should be crowned, with Queen Alexandra, on the
twenty-sixth day of the month of June. Great were
the preparations made therefor, and princes and nobles
of high degree, and people came from divers parts of
the world to London.
In every street where it was ordained that the
King and Queen would pass on the day appointed for
the Coronation, and on the day following, when the
intent of the King was to go in procession with great
state through London, there were set up arches richly
beseen, and banners, so that it was a pleasure to
behold. And on every side there were builded great
stages for the people who were minded to pay that
they might see the procession at their ease, and these
stages were so high that there was nothing that could
48

Sickness and Recovery of the King 49
be seen above them but only the sky and the spires
and towers of the churches.
And so sfreat a rout of citizens was assembled in
the streets of London in this season that it was a
marvel to see, for they said one to the other, " This
is a business we are never like to behold again,
therefore let us make the most of it, for Kings and
Queens are not crowned every day."
But a two or three days before the day that had
been appointed for the Coronation there fell about
a right grievous thing, by the which the rejoicing
was of a sudden turned into mourning for a time.
For it fortuned evilly that the King fell sore sick
and betook himself to his bed, and the most skilled
chirurgeons in the land were summoned to the Palace
of Buckingham where he lay, and by reason of this
it was shewed to the people that in no wise could the
King be crowned as had been decreed on the twenty-
sixth day of June.
Right sorrowful were the people when this was
made known to them, for they feared that there was
no remedy for the King, and all the preparations and
festivities were made an end of
But by the great skill of the physicians and
chirurgeons, and specially of Sir Frederick de Treves,
who was of great repute in curing the malady of which
the King suffered, it happily fortuned that he made

50 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
a marvellous recovery, to the great joy and thankful
ness of all the people.
How the King and Queen were afterwards crowned in the great
church of the Abbey of Westminster.
When the King had recovered of his sickness he
appointed a day again when he would be crowned
and sacred, and this was on the ninth day of August,
in the year of our Lord a thousand nine hundred and
two. And on that day King Edward and the Queen,
his wife, daughter of the King of Denmark, went to
the great church of the Abbey at Westminster, where
was assembled prelates and nobles of the realm, and
gentlemen of high estate, with their ladies all beseen
in rich apparel of fur and velvet. And all the nobles
and their wives carried with them their coronets in
their hands, for it was not seemly to wear them on
their heads until after that the King and Queen had
been rightly crowned.
I will now set myself to shew you all the solemni
ties that were performed in the Church on that day.
There was firstly the procession of the Princes
and Princesses of the blood Royal with their pages
and trainbearers, and these were conducted to their
appointed places by the heralds.
The second procession was of the Royal guests,
and among these were the Grand Duke of Hesse

Crowning of the King and Queen 51
in Almaine, the Prince Henry of Almaine and his
Princess, the Crown Prince of Denmark, the Duke
and the Duchess of Sparta, Prince George and
Prince Andrew of Greece, and the Crown Prince
and Princess of Roumania, all of whom were related
in blood to the King or Queen.
The third procession was of the Prince and
Princess of Wales, the son and daughter-in-law of
King Edward.
Then there came into the Church the King's
chaplain, and the Dean and Canons of Westminster.
And among those who followed in order were the
King's Champion bearing the Standard of England,
and the four Knights of the Garter appointed to
assist in the anointing, wearing their mantles of blue
velvet, and the Archbishop of Canterbury and the
Archbishop of York richly apparelled in copes of
white damask broidered with gold.
Thereafter came Queen Alexandra, whose beauty
was right pleasant to behold, and she had on either
hand the Bishop of Oxford and the Bishop of
Norwich, and behind walked her Maids-of-Honour. I
trow that never before had been beholden so great
and marvellous beauty and magnificence.
Next there came the King in his crimson robe of
State, and wearing his Cap of Maintenance on his
head, and with him were the great nobles and officers

52 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
of State bearing the crowns, and the Orb, and the

PLAYING AT THE ORGAN IN THE ABBEY CHURCH OF WESTMINSTER.

[Coronation Records.)

Sceptres of the Cross and the Dove, and the Swords
of Justice and Mercy, and the Golden Spurs.

Crowning of the King and Queen 53
And there was great playing at the organ, and
all the assembly did reverence.
Then the King and Queen sat down on their

THE LORD DE HALSBURY AND THE DUKE OF NORFOLK.
{From a Stained-glass Window.)
chairs in the Sanctuary, and the Archbishop of
Canterbury presented the King to the nobles and the
assembly. And they all acclaimed him with one voice,
and cried out, " God save King Edward the Seventh ! "

54 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
Then the Archbishop administered the Oath to
the King, and when this was made an end of the
Lord Chamberlain aided the King to strip off his

THE EARL OF DURDANS AND THE EARL DE SPENCER.
{From a Stained-glass Window.)
crimson robe and his Cap of Maintenance, and to
seat himself in the ancient Chair of Coronation, over
which was stretched a canopy of cloth of gold,

Crowning of the King and Queen 55
supported at the four corners, each by a noble
Knight of the Order of the Garter. These four

THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY AND THE DEAN OF WESTMINSTER.

{Coronation Records^

knights were the Earl de Spencer, the Earl of
Durdans, the Earl of Derby, and the Earl Cadogan.
Then the Archbishop of Canterbury and the

56 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
Dean of Westminster anointed the King with holy
oil from the sacred Ampulla.
Next the King had put upon him the priestly

THE DUKE DE MALBROUK AND THE LORD DE LONDONDERRY.
{From a Stained-glass Window^
vestments of the rochet and the super-tunic, and the
Sword of State, which the Lord de Londonderry
carried, was girded on his side, and the Orb, and

Crowning of the King and Queen 5 7
the Sceptres, and the Golden Spurs, and the Ring
were presented to him.
Then the Archbishop put the Crown upon the
King's head, and all the assembly cried again, " God
save the King ! " and the trumpeters blew upon their
trumpets. And as soon as the King had been crowned,
incontinent all the nobles put their coronets upon
their heads and did homage. And when the organ
had been played again the assembly shouted, " God
save King Edward ! Long live King Edward ! May
the King live for ever ! "
When this had been accomplished the Archbishop
of York put the Crown upon the head of the Queen,
and all the wives of the nobles put their coronets on,
and it has been told me that some of them were
sore troubled how to do this so that the coronets
would remain and not fall to the ground, which would
have sore abashed them.
And when an end had been made of all the
solemnities and ceremonies of which I have spoken
the King and Queen departed back from the Church
to their Palace of Buckingham.
And there was great rejoicing among the people
that this business, though it had been so grievously
hindered for a time, was now so happily accom
plished.

CHAPTER VII
Of the journey that Sir Dickon Seddon made fro7n Maoriland to
Africa, how he conversed with the lord de Kitchener, and how
he hastily departed from Africa and sailed to England.
NOW let us leave somewhat to speak of the
adventures of a certain Sir Dickon Seddon,
the which are a great marvel, as I shall shew you.
Now, Sir Dickon Seddon was of great puissance, by
reason of his pushfulness, in the island wherein he
dwelt, the name of which, as I have been informed,
is Maoriland. It lieth in an ocean on the other side
of the world, and belongeth to England, howbeit it
hath its own governance. And of this governance
Sir Dickon Seddon was chief He was a knight of
great spirit, and had so great belief in himself that it
was a wonder to all men, for he would say to those
around him, " Things are not well with the realm of
England, nor will be until Sir Dickon ruleth the
roast." When King Edward the Seventh made prepara
tions for his crowning he caused invitations to be
sent to every part of the kingdom, even beyond the

The Journey of Sir Dickon Seddon 59
seas, bidding the chief men of every land to journey
to London that they might attend him at Westminster
on the day appointed for the Coronation.
Even had it not been so I trow that Sir Dickon

SIR DICKON SEDDON ON HIS VIAGE TO AFRICA AND ENGLAND.
Seddon would have gone there, for he greatly desired
that he should not be overlooked. Of a truth he did
not journey straight to England, but caused the ship
in which he sailed to be steered first to Africa, being

6o Froissart's Modern Chronicles
minded to see how it fortuned that the war in that
country still continued, and had not been made an
end of.
"I will look into this business," quoth he, "for
meseemeth that the English are not bestirring them
selves as they ought to do, and are not fighting
against these Dutch rebels as felly as I would have
them do. They are too pitiful ; let them entrust the
ordering of the war to me and to my Maoris, and
we will right speedily roll over the land and crush
these pestilent Dutchmen. By St. Jingo but I will
have no conditions for their surrendering themselves."
In this wise spake Sir Dickon Seddon, and he
sent messengers before him to Africa and to England,
saying, " Thus and thus hath Sir Dickon Seddon
spoken." Now you must know that in Maoriland they set
great store by sheep, the wool thereof they send
abroad for profit, and the meat they send to England
where it has been sold for Scottish mutton, as it has
been told to me.
Sir Dickon would have had those in England to
buy no other mutton but that which came from
Maoriland, saying, " Wherein is the profit of having
a Motherland if she buy not that which her children
have to sell ? "
So when Sir Dickon Seddon arrived in Africa

The Journey of Sir Dickon Seddon 6i
incontinent he set out to journey up the country to
find the lord de Kitchener. And whensoever he

^cgv

SIR DICKON SEDDON PERFORMETH A WAR-DANCE AFTER
THE MANNER OF THE MEN OF MAORILAND.

encountered any of the English army by the way he
demanded of them to know whether they had yet
made peace with the Dutch, charging them stoutly

62 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
that in no wise should they yield anything to their
enemies. "Wherefore should we sacrifice that which we
have striven so hard to gain ? " quoth he.

SIR DICKON SEDDON DEMANDETH TO KNOW IF THE LORD DE
KITCHENER HATH NEED OF MORE MUTTON FOR THE ENGLISH
ARMY IN AFRICA.

Then would he paint his face in the manner of
the men of Maoriland and dance a war-dance to give
countenance to the soldiers.
When Sir Dickon Seddon arrived at the place

Sir Dickon Seddon in Africa 63
where the lord de Kitchener was encamped with his
army he set himself to hold converse with him, and
when he found where his tent was within the camp,
he betook himself thitherward. Now the lord de

THE LORD DE KITCHENER ANSWERETH SIR DICKON SEDDON,
WHO DEPARTETH IN HASTE.

Kitchener was seated therein planning how he might
build more castles if it should fortune that the con
ferences with the Dutch should be made an end of
without peace, and he was sore amazed when Sir
Dickon Seddon presented himself demanding to know

64 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
if he wanted more mutton from Maoriland for the
army. When the lord de Kitchener answered him nay.
Sir Dickon said that it rather behoved him to have
said Yea, seeing that it would have gone hardly with
the Mother country if her children from Maoriland
had not made great sacrifices to save her from the
Dutch in Africa.
Moreover he charged the lord de Kitchener that
he should not entertain any terms with the Dutch
rebels without taking counsel with him. Sir Dickon.
Now what reply the lord de Kitchener made to
this I cannot of a surety tell, but it has been shewed
me that Sir Dickon Seddon made a sudden end of
speaking, and departed with great haste for his ship,
saying that he might well have deemed he was
anywhere but on English land.
Of the further marvellous adventures of Sir Dickon Seddon, how he
counselled Sir Joseph de Birmingham and others in England,
and the end thereof.
Anon Sir Dickon Seddon continued on his viage
to England, for he held that the King could not
rightly be crowned if he were not there at the
appointed time. And when his ship had taken land
in England he hastened on shore and went straight
way to London. Here he was received with great

Sir Dickon Seddon in England 65
honour, and the King sent to him horses and servants
richly apparelled in scarlet and gold, whereat Sir

SIR. DICKON SEDDON IN LONDON.

Dickon Seddon was mightily pleased, saying to him
self, " The King doth well to honour me in this wise,
F

66 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
for of a surety this realm could not continue without
me. And Sir Dickon Seddon rode to and fro in
England in state as though he had been a Prince,
telling the people everywhere what they should do if
they desired to prosper. Moreover he counselled
them that they should make haste to wake up and

SIR DICKON SEDDON CONVERSETH WITH SIR JOSEPH DE BIRMINGHAM.
see to it that no other mutton should be allowed to
be brought into the country save only that from
Maoriland. He spake in this wise also to Sir Joseph de
Birmingham, saying, " Thus and thus should the
Mother country do if she would continue in the love
of her children."

Sir Dickon Seddon in England 67
When Sir Dickon Seddon had thus spoken many
times Sir Joseph de Birmingham answered that it
behoved not children to teach their mothers the art
of obtaining nutriment either from eggs or mutton.
Sir Dickon was sore vexed that they of the
governance in England gave so little heed to his
counsel, for he was full of marvellous opinions.
Howbeit he dissimuled the matter, avowing that he
would still continue to love the Mother country, and
when the King had been crowned, as I have here
before shewed you. Sir Dickon Seddon journeyed
back to Maoriland across the seas.
And thereafter whatsoever thing was devised or
done in England, Sir Dickon Seddon would say, " Of
a surety this was done on the counsel that I gave to
Sir Joseph de Birmingham and others in England.

CHAPTER VIII
How my lord of Salisbury withdrew himself from the governance with
Sir Michael le Noir, and Sir Arthur de Balfour became the Captain
of t/ie Blues, and hmv Austen de Birmitigham was raised up and
Jesse de Collings was put aside.
IN the mean season, in the month of July in the
same year of our Lord a thousand nine hundred
and two, there fell about certain changes in the
governance of England, of which I will now speak.
My lord of Salisbury had been chief of the Blues
for a great space, as ye have heard before, but seeing
that he was now aged he greatly desired to be free
from the burdens of governance. Moreover he had
great love for Alchemy, in which he had so great
and marvellous skill that he could, whensoever he
willed, conjure up any images that he was minded
to see. These visons of my lord of Salisbury were a
great marvel to the others of the chief men of the
Blues, and sore perplexed them, for they could never
be sure what strange images might cross his mind.

of Changes in the Governance 69
or if what he might see would accord with their
intent. But they durst not question him, for he would
gibe at and flout those who withstood him. Howbeit
he was greatly reputed for his wisdom in counsel,
and when it was bruited abroad that he was minded
to withdraw himself from the Captaincy of the Blues,

MY LORD OF SALISBURY AND SIR MICHAEL LE NOIR DEPART FROM
THE GOVERNANCE OF THE BLUES.

there were many who made murmuration, saying that
without my lord of Salisbury things would go ill
with the governance and the realm.
But he would not be persuaded from his intent,
and, the ship of the Blues being in a certain measure
at sea, he departed therefrom and went on shore and
so to Hatfield.

70 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
There was another of the chief men of the Blues,
Sir Michael le Noir, whose business it was to tax
the people and to gather in money for the Exchequer.
But so fast as ever he filled the bag, so quickly was
it ever emptied again, seeing that the war in Africa
was a marvellous expense, and moreover he had to

^i^MMii

i/AwmiAfi/MWA-im

FC^

JESSE DE COLLINGS RETURNETH BACK TO HIS THREE ACRES
AND HIS cow.

provide divers doles and to maintain the King's
ships. Now you must know that Sir Michael le Noir
was sore vexed that he could not contrive to keep
any money in the Exchequer, and he was displeasant
to the other chiefs of the Blues when they demanded
anything of him out of the bag.
When Sir Michael knew that my lord of Salisbury

of changes in the Governance 71
was minded to leave the ship, incontinent he resolved
that he would go away with him, for he was weary
of the great waste made by the governance in the
seven years that they had ruled in England. So my
lord of Salisbury departed with Sir Michael le Noir
in a boat, and his nephew Sir Arthur de Balfour,
howbeit he was a commoner, was made the Captain
of the Blues.
And about the same time there fell about other
changes. Austen de Birmingham, who was the son
of Sir Joseph de Birmingham, was made chief over
a department and one of the King's counsellors,
whereat Sir Joseph and his people of Birmingham
were greatly pleased.
But truth it is, and it irks me to tell, that Jesse
de Collings was put aside, though he also came from
Birmingham, which was a marvel that all men
wondered at, and he departed from the governance
and went back to die in his three acres and to watch
over his cow.
Jesse de Collings was right sorrowful, as I have
been told, but Sir Joseph de Chamberlain recomforted
him, saying that he would one day make a lord
of him.

CHAPTER IX
How the English and the Almains were contrarious one to the other,
and how the Emperor of Almaine came to England to visit his
uncle King Edward.
IN the month of November of this same year the
Emperor Wilhelm of Almaine, who was a nephew
of King Edward, came to England to the castle of
Sandringham in Norfolk, where his uncle was
sojourning. Howbeit it is no marvel that there should be
natural affection between an uncle and a nephew, yet
I ween that when Emperors and Kings converse with
each other they are minded to hold treaty together
about the business of their realms.
Now you must know that the people of Almaine
were minded to be contrarious to the people of Eng
land, because of the war in Africa, for they feigned
to love the Dutch, saying that England had done an
evil thing in warring against them.
This was sore displeasant to the English, and so it
fell about that there were disputations between the

The King's Guests 73
two peoples. The Almains said that the English had
done great felony in Africa in that they had brent,
exiled, robbed, wasted, and pilled the good plentiful
lands of the Transvaal and the Free State, by which
they were infamed.
And whensoever the English spake of the Almains
they were disdainous, saying, " Ah, Saint Jingo, how
these Almains are mounted in pride. They speak
discourteously of us but by envy of our greater glory."
This contrariousness on both sides was sore travail
both to King Edward and to the Emperor Wilhelm
of Almaine, and they set themselves to appease their
people. You may well believe that this was wise counsel,
seeing that the Emperor of Almaine had more men
of war a-land than the King of England, and the
King of England had more men of war on the sea
than the Emperor, so that though they could no more
prevail one against the other than an elephant and a
whale, yet if they were unied and in accord they
could defy all Europe.
So when King Edward sent messengers to his
nephew praying him with right courtesy and affection
to visit him in England, the Emperor Wilhelm hasted
to journey thitherward. And when he had made his
purveyance of presents for his uncle the King, and of
Red Eagles for the chief men of the English

74 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
governance, he embarked with his great white war-
horse, and many of his nobles and retainers, and sailed
from Almaine across the North Sea to England.
And when he had come a-land, where he was
received with great honour, incontinent he apparelled
himself as an English knight, and rode to Shorncliffe
to review some English men-at-arms, howbeit it rained
so fiercely that it was great marvel they were not all
washed into the sea. And after that he continued on
his viage until he came to the castle of Sandringham
in Norfolk, as I have herebefore shewed you.
Of the welcome that King Edward gave to the Empei-or of Almaine,
and how they took their pleasures together at Sandringham.
You may well believe that King Edward received
his nephew the Emperor of Almaine joyously, for
greatly he loved him and made him good cheer, as
he was wont to do to all who visited him. Quoth he,
" Fair nephew, I greatly desire to shew you all love
and courtesy, and that you should have much joy of
your sojourn at Sandringham. I pray you, therefore,
to choose what pleasure or sport you will, and I will
accord thereto right gladly."
And the Emperor Wilhelm answered, " Fair uncle,
I take great joy in hunting and shooting, let us go
into the woods and see what game may be found there."
When it was thus shewn to the King what the

The King's Guests 75
Emperor was minded to do, incontinent he ordered
that a great company of men and boys should be
sent forward into the coverts to drive the birds
together to the place where the King and the
Emperor might shoot at them with their cross-bows.

THE KING OF ENGLAND AND THE EMPEROR WILHELM OF ALMAINE
SHOOT TOGETHER AT SANDRINGHAM.

In this wise there was killed so great a number
of faisans that it was a marvel to behold, besides
many conies and divers other savage creatures.
This the King and the Emperor and the Prince of
Wales did on some days, and on other days they would
ride a-hunting.

76 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
Now there were sojourning at the castle of Sand
ringham at this time certain of the governance of
Ensfland, whom the King had bidden there, and
amongst these were Sir Arthur de Balfour, the lord
de Lansdowne, the lord de Londonderry, Sir Joseph
de Birmingham, and Sir John de Brodrick, and these
were bidden to ride with the King. But I trow that
Sir Arthur de Balfour and Sir Joseph de Birmingham
were much discomforted, for they loved not horses
and would rather have gone a-foot.
Ye may know of a surety that this business of the
King and his nephew was as I have set it down, and
none otherwise.
Howbeit it was bruited abroad that the Emperor
had come to England to make certain treaties. And
it has been told to me that it was a common jangle
to say, "What doth the Emperor Wilhelm think to
get, seeing that England hath no more Heligolands
to yield to Almaine."
When the Emperor Wilhelm had made an end of
his visit to his uncle he thanked him greatly for his
entertainment, and took leave of him. And after he
departed and rode with his nobles to sojourn a two
or three days with the lord de Lonsdale, who was
in great favour with the Emperor. And thereafter
he continued his journey to Dalmeny Castle where
the Earl of Durdans received him with great honour.

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78 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
And after the Emperor of Almaine went to his
ship that was awaiting him in the harbour, and sailed
back again to his country.
How the King Dom Carlos of Portugal did also visit the King of
England at Sandringham.
When the Emperor of Almaine had departed from

THE KING DOM CARLOS OF PORTUGAL AND THE PRINCE OF WALES
GO A-SHOOTING.

the Castle of Sandringham there came King Dom
Carlos of Portugal to visit King Edward. For the
English and the Portugalois in former times were
allied together in many adventures of battle against
the Spaniards and the French, and so King Edward

The King's Guests 79
had joy of the coming of Dom Carlos, and welcomed
him right gladly.
The King Dom Carlos, in like wise as the Emperor
Wilhelm, took great pleasure in sport, and so he went
a-hunting and a-shooting together with the King, or
the Prince of Wales.
But there were so many faisans, and conies, and
other savage creatures in the land around the castle
that not a few were left alive even after the King's
guests had departed.
Dom Carlos also, like the Emperor of Almaine,
apparelled himself one day in the manner of an
English knight, and rode to make inspection of some
English men-at-arms.
You must know that it is the custom of a King or
a Prince that when he goeth to another country he
shall array himself as a knight of the country in
which he is sojourning, and the King of that country,
by exchange of courtesy, will apparel himself as
though he were a knight of the realm from which
his visitor cometh.
In this wise they do honour to one another, but
you may well believe it is a great trouble to a king,
when he is on a viage to foreign countries, to carry
with him so great a store of harness.

CHAPTER X
How the Dutch leaders came to England and were presented to the
King and Sir Joseph de Birmingham, and hotv they and Oom
Paul wrote books about the war in Africa.
NOW let us return to speak of the leaders of
the Dutch who had fought so felly against
the English in Africa.
So soon as the war had been made an end of,
and peace had been accomplished, De La Rey,
Botha and De Wet departed from Africa and sailed
to England. And because they had withstood the
English army so stoutly they were received right
courteously, for the people said, "They are no more
our enemies, but are unied with us in the same
Empire, more they are brave men who have done
their devoir to their country, and therefore they
deserve to be honoured."
And so it fell about that they were presented to
the King, and afterwards they held converse with
Sir Joseph de Birmingham about the business of
Africa, and how some remedy might be found for
the distresses that the war had caused. And though
80

De La Rey, Botha, and De Wet 8i
Sir Joseph would not yield to them all that they
demanded, which, indeed, I am minded to believe
they did not expect to obtain, they were in no wise
contrarious, saying that though they had hoped
Sir Joseph de Birmingham would have given them
more of the things they had required, they would
not withsay him, or withdraw them back from the
treaty that had been compacted at Vereeniging.
For howbeit they held themselves to have rightly
done their devoir to their country in withstanding the
English to the end, now that they had yielded they
were minded to be liege subjects of their sovereign
lord King Edward, and to aid the governance to
remedy the hurt and damage that the war had done
in the land for which they had fought.
This greatly pleased the English, though some
there were who were vexed that the Dutch leaders
should have gone to Holland, and France, and Almaine
to seek aid. It hath been shewed me that divers of
those in England who had always withstood the
making of the war in Africa, saying that the Dutch
had the more just cause, were also sore vexed that
De La Rey and Botha and De Wet held themselves
aloof from them, and would not listen to their counsels,
thinking it to be behoveful and more convenable to
save themselves from the unwisdom of their friends.
More, I have been told that when certain of these
G

82 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
friends came to hold converse with them, so soon as
these had entered the one door of their lodging in
continent the Dutchmen would go out by the other
door and so avoided them. But I cannot of a surety
say if this was as I have told you for I set it down
only as it was related to me.
Howbeit the Dutch leaders, though they demeaned
themselves right courteously and with all fealty, and
were treatable and glad of acquaintance, did contrive
to countervenge them upon the English.
And the manner of their doing it was in this wise.
They set themselves to write books concerning
the war, shewing how the Dutch had for so long
continued to withstand the English. And specially
De Wet did set down in the chronicles which he
wrote all his enterprises and adventures against the
English, how he scrimmished with them and often
discomfited them to their damage, and how he avoided
them when they thought to have encompassed or
overtaken him.
Among those who thus wrote books about the
war was Oom Paul, who was formerly lord over the
Transvaal, and who had fled to Holland when the
Earl de Bobs and the English army seized his towns.
Oom Paul was now sojourning in Holland, where he
was held in high repute by the Dutchmen, who deemed
him to have been cruelly oppressed.

De La Rey, Botha, and De Wet 83
When Oom Paul saw that his country was lost to

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DE WET WRITETH OF THE WAR.
him beyond all remedy, he set himself to write down
84 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
the history of the divers disputations between himself

OOM PAUL WRlTKTH HIS CHRONICLES.
and Sir Joseph de Birmiagham, and the matters out
of which the war arose.

De La Rey, Botha, and De Wet 85
And you may well believe that his chronicles did

fc^  ^^T —

I/e^et

^iitiQEy

SIR JOHN DE BRODRICK READETH THE CHRONICLES OF DE WET.

not greatly favour the English, specially Sir Joseph

86 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
de Birmingham, for there was little amity between
him and Oom Paul.
It might well have been thought that these books
would have been sore displeasant for the English to
read, but truth it is that though they be orgulous,
yet they are right generous towards those who have
fought against them with valiance, and so they bought
these chronicles and read them, saying, " Let us con
sider the other side of the matter, for so it behoveth
us to do if we would profit from experience." And
it hath been told me that Sir John de Brodrick, who
had the ordering of the army in England, read the
records of the war with great diligence, howbeit
there were many matters set forth in them that mar
vellously discomforted him. For he greatly desired
to learn the art of war, the more so because the
Emperor of Almaine had made him a gift of a Red
Eagle, which is the bird of war, and therefore he was
minded to live up to it and to be deemed a knight
of great puissance in war.
How a great monster called the Spearpoint Drorgan came across the
sea and sore affrayed the English.
Let us now go back to speak of how, in this same
year a thousand nine hundred and two, the English
were greatly affrayed by reason of a huge, mighty,
perilous, and dreadful monster that came from the
West across the sea to England. The bigness thereof

The Spearpoint Drorgan 87
was a marvel to behold, and men called it the Spear-

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Di

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PSo

point Drorgan, for it had as it were great spears on

88 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
its head ' and neck, so that none could in any wise
overcome or sit upon it.
Now this Drorgan was as puissant on land as on
the water, for it was both a Drorgan and a Sea- Fish,
and for this reason it was also called The Great
Combine. Now the English, specially those who had no ships
to sell, were sore discomforted when they knew that
the Spearpoint Drorgan was coming ; for it was
bruited abroad that the monster was seizing upon all
the English ships that it encountered by the way, so
that the English beg^an to fear there would be no
more vessels left to them wherein to carry their
banners. For you must know that the English take
pride that they have more ships, both great and
small, than hath any other country. Also it was said
that the Drorgan was minded to come a-land in
England, and to seize and take away the Abbey
Church of Westminster, and the Castle of London,
and the King's castles, and his crowns, and sceptres,
and orb, and all the treasures of the country.
But I trow that those who said these things were
dismayed without reason, for in the end, as it hath
been shewed me, the Drorgan, though of a truth it
seized upon all those ships that could not avoid it,
yet it spouted out streams of gold to pay for them,
so that no man received hurt or damage thereby.

The Spearpoint Drorgan 89
Howbeit there were some who sailed away when
the Drorgan would have taken their ships, saying,
"We would rather keep our ships than have the
Drorgan's gold."
Neither did the Drorgan seize or carry away
any of the treasures of England, as it was bruited
that it had a mind to do.
But when it would have dug a hole underneath
London, the citizens would in no wise agree, saying
that it behoved them to draw a line somewhere.

CHAPTER XI
Hoiv Sir Joseph de Birmingham departed out of England, and went
to Africa, and the reason of his going.
YE may well believe that there was great confusion
in Africa after the war had been made an end
of, seeing that the oxen had been devoured, and
many places brent and destroyed, and the land laid
waste. For so it must ever be when men make war
upon each other.
Now when one country prevaileth over another,
but desireth not to add to its territories, it with-
draweth its army back after the victory, making a
treaty whereby it secureth great finance and ransom,
and the country that is overcome must needs remedy
its own hurt and damage.
But in this business of the war in Africa, of which
I have herebefore told you, the case was otherwise,
for King Edward of England had proclaimed himself
to be the lord paramount over the lands of the Trans
vaal and the Orange State, and so the Dutch and
the English were to be unied in one Empire.
Now when men of different countries have with-

The Voyage of Sir Joseph 91
stood each other, fighting felly and slaying on either
side, they do not always have so great and sudden
an affection for those who have fought fiercely against
them as is needful when they have to dwell together
under the same governance and laws.
Sir Joseph de Birmingham, whose business it was
in the governance of England to order matters relating
to those parts of Africa which appertained to England,
sorely mused how he might contrive that the English
and the Dutch might accord together, and live in
amity. To this end he resolved that he would himself
journey to Africa, and see what could be done in
that wise. And he was the more minded to go on
this viage, not only because he deemed that it
behoved him to remedy the mischief, which some said
he had brought about, but because Sir Arthur de
Balfour and others of the governance were allied
with the Bishops and the clergy in an adventure of
which I will speak before I have made an end of
these chronicles.
In former times Sir Joseph had no great love for
the Bishops, and was disdainous to them. But this
was before he performed his vigil at Hatfield, and
renounced his allegiance to the Buffs, repenting him
of all the works he had wrought with them, and had
been absolved and received into the party of the
Blues.

92 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
And howbeit the Bishops and the clergy now spake
reverently of Sir Joseph de Birmingham, he could not
entirely accord with them, and he was discomforted by
the alliance of which I have spoken, the more so by
reason of the murmurations that were made by certain

i^iQljbtw^.

SIR JOSEPH DE BIRMINGHAM DEPARTETH ON HIS VIAGE.
of his retainers at Birmingham, who, though they had
followed him when he joined himself to the Blues, yet
could not altogether rid themselves of their former
faith. And so when he had made purveyance for his

The Voyage of Sir Joseph 93
journey. Sir Joseph departed from his castle of High
bury with trumpets, and shawms, and sackbuts, and
psalteries, and lighted torches, and rode to London
and onward to Southampton, where was a King's ship,
the Bonne Esperance, awaiting him. He journeyed in
right royal style, on the King's horses, and in the
King's carriages, and so went on board the ship, and
sailed towards Africa.
How Sir Joseph de Birmingham tarried by the way in Egypt, and
saw the Pyramids and the Sphinx. How he aftenvards crossed
the Equator, and the gifts he received from Neptune.
Now Sir Joseph was minded to see as much of
Africa as he could on the way, and so he caused the
ship to be put a-land when it came to Egypt, for
greatly he desired to visit the country where in ancient
times there had ruled another puissant and pushful
man of the same name as himself.
Moreover, he was minded that the name of Joseph
should not be forgotten in the land of the Pharaohs,
and thus he went on shore, where he was received
right honourably and courteously by the ruler, who
caused to be shewed to him all the wonders of his
country, the Pyramids, and the scarabs, and the
mummies, and the temples, and the tombs.
Sir Joseph had great joy of seeing these things,
and specially it was right pleasant to behold the
Sphinx, seeing that great men in history have ever

94 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
been wont to journey thitherward to see if haply
they may discern the semblance of themselves.

>O

The Voyage of Sir Joseph 95
And when Sir Joseph had assured himself in this
matter, he departed from Egypt in his ship, and sailed
on until they came to the Equator, which geographiers
hold to be a line drawn around the world midway

THE SPHINX.

between the North Pole and the South Pole. A
right perilous line it is to cross, for when the ship
would pass it, there cometh up out of the sea a wild
man, who avoucheth himself to be the heathen god,

96 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
Neptune, and unless there be largesse and ransom
paid to him, he evilly and cruelly useth those who
would pass through his kingdom for the first time.
And so, when the Bonne Esperance would have
sailed over the Equator, incontinent this wild man
came aboard, and demanded to see Sir Joseph de
Birmingham. I trow that Sir Joseph would gladly have avoided

COIN OF SIR JOSEPH DE BIRMINGHAM.
( Westminster Records!)
holding converse with Neptune, but he could do none
otherwise, and so he went with good grace and did
homage to him as the King of the Ocean. And
Neptune spake right fairly and courteously, and
ordained him a knight of the order of the Sardine,
for the which honour Sir Joseph gave him thanks
and great largesse, and so Neptune departed back
again to his kingdom.

The Voyage of Sir Joseph 97
But it hath been told me that before he went away
from the ship he drew out of a net that he carried
with him an hour-glass, and a long spoon, and a
squeezed sponge or coral, and a packet that was
inscribed " Old Age Pensions Scheme," and gave
them to Sir Joseph, saying that he had fortuned to
find them at the bottom of the sea.
But whether this was so I cannot of a surety say.
How Sir Joseph de Birmingham came to Uganda, and of the divers
wild beasts that abound therein.
After the Bonne Esperance had crossed the
Equator, as I have shewed you, it sailed to Mombasa
which lieth on the east side of Africa in Uganda,
which is one of the territories of the British Empire,
for Sir Joseph was minded to visit it for divers
reasons. The English had made there a great and
costly road through the country, and there had been
many disputations about the matter in the English
Parliament. For there were some who held it to
have been an evil thing to waste so much treasure
on a road that was in no wise needed.
Of a truth I well believe that more money was
spent in the making of the road than was just, for
things that are done by a governance are ever waste
ful and extravagant. And in the making of it there
were many lives destroyed in a strange and terrible
manner by the marvellous fierceness of the lions.
H

98 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
For Uganda aboundeth in divers fearsome wild
beasts, the olifawnte, the gerfaunt, the unicorn, the
tragelaphus, the behemoth, the leviathan that beareth
armour upon him, the lion, the libbard, and the hya;na.
And of all these the lion is the most fearsome
and perilous, for he ever raveneth for his prey, and

SIR JOSEPH DE BIRMINGHAM BEHOLDETH A LION AND A UNICORN.
when he perceives that the hunters are pursuing him
he eraseth his footprints with his tail, so that he
cannot be traced to his lair, and thus he avoideth
those that would slay him.
Sir Joseph greatly desired to see some of these
monsters, specially the lion and the unicorn, for

The Voyage of Sir Joseph 99
England beareth these creatures for supporters, and so
he journeyed a certain distance into the country to
behold them, to the end that when he returned
back to England he could the more readily discourse
about the wild beasts that guard the Crown of the
Empire. But he was not covetise of their coming to him
too closely, and so he made haste and went back to
his ship, and so on to the place where he was minded
to go. What afterwards befell Sir Joseph de Birmingham
in Africa, and of his mission there, I will relate to
you hereafter when I have fuller knowledge.

CHAPTER XII
How the Bishops brought petitions to the governance, praying that
the Church might be relieved from the burden of paying for its
schools.
IT hath been long sith I spake of holy Church or
of the business of the Parliament in Engfland ;,
now I will return thereto ; the matter requireth it
seeing that the two were unied in a marvellous-
manner as I shall now shew you.
Ye have well heard herebefore, how by the exhor
tation of Sir Arthur de Balfour the Commons had
made divers changes in their rules of procedure,
which were contrarious to their old customs, to the
end that Sir Arthur and others might with greater
ease achieve the business they were minded to do in
the country of a Saturday. Now this business, as I
have already shewed you, was the playing of golf,.
which Sir Arthur de Balfour loved above all rames.
O
And when this had been achieved, he did not pursue
the matter, howbeit the changes that he intended were
in no wise made an end of, saying that the business
could wait for a season, and that what had already
been done, though it was not complete, was like a
part of a beautiful statue and might justly be admired
for itself

The Bishops and the Governance loi
Of a surety I trow that the Commons had no leisure
for any matters but those of holy Church, and what
this business was I will now relate to you. Ye must
know that in England, howbeit the Church is allied
with the State, there be many sects which are not
in accord with it, and these are called Nonconformists,
or Dissenters as you will.
And besides these there are a certain number of
Roman Catholics who have their own Bishops and
priests, and yield allegiance to the Pope.
In like wise there be divers kinds of schools. Some
are not unied with any Church or sect, but are
maintained by the people : others are ordered other
wise, and these, which are called denominational
schools, belong for the most part to the Church of
England. Now the burden of supporting these schools, of
which I last spake, was not a light one, and the
Bishops and the clergy had for a long time mused
how they might find some remedy or relief, howbeit
they were minded that these schools should ever
continue to be allied to the Church.
And so, seeing that the party of the Blues, which
greatly favoured the nobility, clergy, and gentry, held
the governance against the Buffs with puissance, the
Bishops and the clergy resolved that they would
demand of the governance that the cost of the Church

I02 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
schools should be lifted from their shoulders and put
upon the whole people.

E4
Oa;<
W>oK
HO
H
o
HHP4CL,Og«
O a

a

The Bishops and the Governance 103
Quoth they, " We have ever aided the Blues
against the Buffs, and it is behoveful that great favour
should be shewed to us. Have not the Blues great
puissance now after the victory they obtained in the
year of our Lord a thousand and nine hundred ? For
in that season there were many of the Buffs who
either did not join their own banners, or who allied
themselves to the Blues for a time by reason of the
war in Africa. For did not Sir Joseph de Birmingham
proclaim that to aid the Buffs in that battle was to
aid the Dutch to prolong the war ? Let us therefore
go to the governance with ten thousand petitions and
demand of them that we be relieved from the burden
that poistereth us so grievously."
And when they had spoken in this wise they
assembled together in Convocation and made great
purveyance of petitions. Then the Bishops put on
their oldest vestments, and rent them, and put clouted
shoes on their feet, in like manner as the children of
Gibeon when they made an ambassade to Joshua ; for
they desired to shew how they were oppressed and
impoverished by their burdens.
How Sir Arthur de Balfour caused a Bill to be drafted, and how
the governance carried it through Parliament.
Now the governance of the Blues had ever been
minded to favour the Bishops and clergy, as I have
herebefore shewed you, and indeed they had often

I04 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
done so. But they could not do all they would, for
the Buffs withstood them stoutly in this matter, saying
that it was not just to favour the Church more than
any other sect.

SIR JONAH GORST IS CAST OVERBOARD.
And so when the governance had aviewed. the
petitions which the Bishops brought to them, they
agreed that they would accord thereto, saying, "It may

The Church Schools Bill 105
never again fortune us to be so puissant as the
business of the war and the discomforts of the Buffs
have made us in this present season. Therefore let
us reward those who have been our friends whilst
we have the power."
And it was in this wise that Sir Arthur de Balfour,
howbeit he was not covetise of overtravail, set himself
to devise how the people might be made to pay for
the Church schools, and yet that the control over
them should not be taken away from the Church.
Now there was in the governance a certain knight.
Sir Jonah Gorst, whose business it was to see to the
schools. He was a man of wisdom in counsel, but
contrarious, and, whether by reason of his making
himself displeasant, or in what wise I know not, he
was cast overboard out of the ship, and another
counsellor was appointed in his place to draft a Bill
and to advise Sir Arthur de Balfour.
It would take me too long a time to set down all
the disputations over this matter of the Education Bill
in Parliament, even indeed if I rightly comprehended
the true foundation of the business, which no man
doth, I trow.
It hath been shewed me, and I well believe it,
that the Blues and the Buff^ could not in any wise
agree, and those who fought against the Bill, among
whom Sir James de Bryce did his devoir with valiant-

io6 Froissart's Modern Chronicles

MONK DRAFTING A BILL.
{Education Records.)

ness, resisted so stoutly that it was not until the

The Church Schools Bill 107
middle of the last month of the year that the govern
ance were able to make an end of the matter. It hath
also been told me that they would not have achieved
their purpose even then if Sir Arthur de Balfour had
not in the autumn of this same year hastened the

SIR JAMES DE BRYCE SPEAKETH AGAINST THE BILL.
business by ever and anon seizing upon the Buffs in the
Commons, and shutting them up in compartments whence
they could neither escape nor make their voices heard.
The Buffs were greatly angered at this, declaring
that they had been cruelly ill-treated and gagged.

io8 Froissart's Modern Chronicles
There were some also on the side of the Blues
who did not accord with all that Sir Arthur de Balfour
was minded to do.
One of these was his cousin. Lord Hughligan de

HUGH OF HATFIELD DESIGNETH A SCHOOL.
Cecil, a son of my lord of Salisbury, and commonly
known as Hugh of Hatfield. He was pious and of
great devotion in ecclesiastical matters, and he desired
that the Church and the schools should be so closely

The Church Schools Bill 109
unied that a child entering the school could in no
wise avoid coming out but only through the Church.
But Sir Arthur de Balfour was contrarious to his
cousin, and would not altogether accord with his plan,
whereat Hugh of Hatfield was sore vexed.
Ye must know that even the Blues for the most
part are not minded to see the Bishops and the clergy
in too great puissance, and so when a certain Sir
Kenyon Slaney, who was a stout Protestant, counselled
that the clergy should not be allowed to have their
own way too much in the schools, the Commons
agreed with him, howbeit there was marvellous con
fusion for a time as to how words might be devised
which should make the matter clear.
When the Bill had been made an end of in the
Commons it was brought before the Lords. Now the
lords being Blues for the greater part, and the Bishops
who sit in that assembly being privy to the Bill, ye
may well know that it took but a little time to pass
it into law.
Howbeit the Bishops contrived to get still more for
their schools than had already been devised in the
Bill, and though this was a breach of the privileges
of the House of Commons the Bishops walked wilily
and obtained by craft that which they desired.
For howbeit the clergy often err through lack of
knowledge of worldly matters, it is a marvellous thing

IIO Froissart's Modern Chronicles
that the mistakes they make are for the most part in
their own favour. But though Sir Arthur de Balfour
and the Bishops succeeded in their enterprise, I well
believe that the matter is not yet made an end of
altogether. For the Bill was sore displeasant to the
Buffs, and Dr. John Clifford and other leaders of the

P-ce

DR. JOHN CLIFFORD PREACHING TO THE PEOPLE.
Nonconformists went about preaching to the people
that it was an evil and unjust thing to compel them
to pay for the Church schools, and that they should
resist it.
Quoth they, "If the Church desireth to teach its
own creeds, then should it pay its own expenses.

The Archbishop of Canterbury m
Why should we pay for what we have no control
over?"

FRAGMENT OF A BAS-RELIEF DISCOVERED AT WESTMINSTER.
How the Archbishop of Canterbury passed out of this mortal life.
On the twenty-third day of December, in the year
of our Lord a thousand nine hundred and two, on the
Tuesday before Christmas Day, there passed out of
the world, at the Palace of Lambeth, the Archbishop
of Canterbury, the Primate of All England. He was of
a great age, four score and one years, but of marvel
lous courage and devotion.
He was not gentle in speech, for he would not
dissimule but said ever what he thought. Howbeit
he was in no wise orgulous, striving only to do his
devoir without fear or favour.
Thus he was held in great repute, though there
were some among the clergy who feared him more
than they loved him.

112 Froissart's Modern Chronicles

Even when he had grown old he avoided not the
brunt of battle, but
with

fought

great

valiantness until his
strength failed him.
In former times he
had been of the party
of the Buffs, but
though he withstood
them at the last in
the matter of the
Church schools, they
still held him in
esteem, howbeit they
deemed him to be in
the wrong in this
enterprise. And on
the twenty - seventh
day of the same
month of December,
on the Saturday
following his death,
the Archbishop was
buried in the Cathedral of Canterbury.
And all men mourned him for a stout and valiant
soldier of the Church.

ARCHBISHOP TEMPLE.

UNWIN BROTHERS, LIMITED, PRINTERS, WOKING AND LONDON.

3^y63 2 be

"IglVt tll/tfir Bioki

1932

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