Now! Then! 2024! - Yorkshire On This Day

Excerpt

The young queen Philippa wept much at Eltham (Kent) when her uncle and the knights of Hainaut left her. The lord and the ladies of England put the young lady in good order and led her away, and all passed through London, but did not stop: those who accompanied the young queen hurried on until they came to York. There was she received most solemnly and greatly, and all the lords of England who were there came out in good order to meet her, and also the young king, who found her on the field mounted on a small horse [haquenée: hackney], very well dressed and very richly adorned, and took her by the hand and then hugged and kissed her, and side by side, and with a great stream of minstrels and honours, they entered the city, and were brought to the place where the king and his mother were lodging. The mother of the king received this young queen very gently, for she knew about honours all that is to be known. The young king Edward married Philippa of Hainaut in the cathedral church, and they were married by the archbishop there by virtue of the dispensation which had been obtained in Avignon, and this was the day of the Conversion of Saint Paul, and the king was [15] years of age and the young queen on the verge of 14. It may and should be known that all solemnities and feasts were held these days without sparing anything, and bulls and minstrels were greatly paid. And after this wedding, the king Edward, and his lady mother, and the young queen her daughter remained at York or thereabouts, till the time of Easter, when they came to London and Windsor, and were received there with all possible feasts.

Comment

Comment

The above is the so-called Rome version of Froissart’s Chronicles. I have translated biraus as if it were the Provençal braus, bulls – see e.g. Mistral.

Bourchier’s version claims, for whatever reason (political?), that wedding AND coronation were on the EVE of St. Paul’s conversion, i.e. 24 January, and stresses London’s part in proceedings:

Than thys yonge quene entred into the see at Wysant and arry∣ued with all her cōpany at Douer. And & John̄ of Heynaulte lorde Beamont her vncle dyd cō∣duct her to the cite of London / where there was made great feast and many nobles of Ingland and the quene was crowned. And there was al∣so great iustes / tourneys daunsyng / carolyng / and great feastis euery day. The whiche endu∣ced the space of .iii. week¦is. The englisshe cro∣nicle saith / this mariage / and coronation of the quene was done at Yorke / with moche honour. the sunday in the euyn of the cōuersion of saynt Paule / in ye yere of our lorde .M. CCC .xxvii (Froissart 1523).

All was not joy – Isabella and Roger’s 1326 invasion of England, which led to Edward III’s father Edward II’s downfall, had been supported by Hainault:

During this great concourse at York, the Hainaulters still bearing malice in their hearts, set fire to and almost consumed a whole parish in the suburbs of the city, by reason of a difference raised betwixt the inhabitants and them. The cause was no mean one, for the strangers had made bold to ravish several of the others wives, daughters and maid servants. The suburbians scandalized at such outragious proceedings challenged the Hainaulters to fight them; and a select company of each well armed, one Wednesday before sun rising, dormiente tota civitate [while the whole city was asleep], says my authority [Leland Collectanea], met in a street called Watlingate and fought their quarrel fairly out. In this conflict were slain and drowned in the river Ouse of the Hainaulters 527, besides those who were mortally wounded and died soon after. Of the English fell likewise 242.

This account I look to be true, notwithstanding that I have no other testimony than the collectanea to support it. The contest in the preceding year was still green in their memories, and such a fresh provocation would easily stir up a resentment. The affair might be so hushed up, out of respect to the queen’s countrymen, that few historians of that age could come to the knowledge of it, and there is no circumstance in the relation which can make it be taken for the tumult before mentioned. It is certain these foreigners behaved very insolently and saucily to the English at both times of their coming to York; which our ancient British spirit could ill bear, without endeavouring to retaliate the affront. The former contest shews a just resentment of injuries in the English in general; and the latter is an evident proof, to our present citizens, of the spirit and valour of their ancestors.
(Drake 1736)

There is little doubt that Edward was not 17 but 15, and accounts of Philippa incline me to believe that she was younger than him, and that the Vatican Froissart may be correct.

Are the Counts of Kent basically Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent and retinue?

The marvellous Online Froissart is on its way to completion.

The translation probably needs some TLC – suggestions welcome.

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Original

Comment les noces du roi Edouwart furent célébrées à grant solempnité à Ebruich. Tant esploita la jone roine d’Engleterre et sa compagnie que il vinrent en la chité de Cantorbie, et alèrent veoir le corps saint Thomas et i fissent lor offrande, et puis passèrent oultre, et par toutes les villes où il passoient, on lor faisoit feste et honnour, dons et présens, et passèrent à Rocestre et puis à Dardeforde et vinrent à Eltem et là s’arestèrent, et là estoit li évesques de Durames qui par procuration l’avoit espousé à Valenchiennes ou nom dou roi, et grant fuisson de signeurs et de dames d’Engleterre, qui requellièrent doucement la roine et toute sa compagnie, et m’est avis que messires Jehans de Hainnau pour celle fois, ne li chevaliers et esquiers qui la roine avoient acompagniet, n’alèrent plus avant, fors chil et celles qui avoecques lui devoient demorer, car li rois, pour ces jours, et madame sa mère et li contes de Kent estoient en la marce de Northombrelande. Si regardèrent li signeurs d’Engleterre que li Hainnuier aueroient trop de painne à aler si lonch, et en furent déporté, et là donnés et pris li congiés de toutes parties. Et plora la jone roine Phelippe assés, quant son oncle et li chevaliers de Hainnau la laissièrent. Toutes fois ensi fu fait. Il s’en retournèrent en Hainnau, et li signeur et les dames d’Engleterre, qui de ce faire estoient cargiet, ordonnèrent lor jone dame et l’emmenèrent, et passa tout parmi Londres, mais adont point n’i aresta; car on voloit que li Londryen la rechussent une aultre fois, quant li rois l’auroit espousé, et elle seroit roine d’Engleterre, de tous poins et à telle solempnité comme il estoient et sont tenu dou faire quant une roine d’Engleterre (et li rois l’a espouse), entre la première fois en la chité de Londres. Tant esploitièrent chil qui la jone roine menoient, que il vinrent à Ebruich. Là fu-elle recheute très-solempnement et grandement, et issirent en bonne ordenance tout li signeur d’Engleterre qui là estoient, à l’encontre de li, et meismement li jones rois qui la trouva sus les camps montée sus une haquenée très-bien amblans et très-ricement aournée et parée, et la prist par la main et puis l’acola et baisa, et cevauchièrent coste à coste, et à grant fuisson de ménestrandies et d’onnours il entrèrent dedens la chité, et ensi fu amenée jusques au lieu où li rois et madame sa mère estoient logiet. La roine mère dou roi rechut celle jone roine moult doucement, car elle savoit d’onnours tout quanque on en pooit sçavoir. Je n’ai que faire de plus démener ce pourpos. Li jones rois Edouwars espousa Phelippe de Hainnau en l’église catedral que on dist de Saint-Guillaume, et les espousa li arcevesques dou lieu par la vertu de la dispensation que on avoit empétré en Avignon, et fu le jour de la Conversion Saint-Pol et avoit li rois dis-sept ans d’eage et la jone roine sus le point de quatorze ans, et fu en l’an de grâce Nostre-Signeur mille trois cens xxvij. Si poés et devés sçavoir que toutes solempnités et festes sans riens espargnier furent à ces jours, et biraus et ménestrel largement payet. Et se tint depuis ces espousailles li rois Édouwars, madame sa mère et la jone roine lor fille à Ebruich ou là environ, jusques au temps Pasqour, que il vinrent à Londres et à Windesore, et furent de rechief là toutes festes faites, et i ot ou mois de mai que la roine entra en Londres, grandes joustes faites, et i furent grant fuisson de Hainnuiers et par espécial messires Jehans de Hainnau et messires Guillaumes de Villers i furent, et li sires d’Enghien qui fourjousta les joustes.

Translation by the Singing Organ-Grinder:
How the wedding of King Edward was celebrated with great solemnity at York.
So much did the young queen of England and her company exert themselves that they came to the city of Canterbury, and went to see the body of Saint Thomas and made their offering, and then passed on, and in all the towns through which they passed they were feasted and honoured and given gifts and presents, and continued to Rochester and then to Dartford and came to Eltham and there they stopped, and there was the Bishop of Durham, who had married her by proxy at Valenciennes in the name of the king, and a great abundance of lords and ladies of England, who gently requested the queen and all her company, and I am told that at that time neither John of Hainaut nor the knights and esquires who had accompanied the queen went any further, except he and those who were to remain with him, for the monarchs, at that time, and the lady his mother and the counts of Kent were in the March of Northumberland [the East March]. The lords of England considered that to travel so far would cause the Hainauter too much difficulty, and he abstained from doing so, and there all parties gave and took leave of each other. And the young queen Philippa wept much when her uncle and the knights of Hainaut left her. However, there it was. They returned to Hainaut, and the lord and the ladies of England, who were charged to do so, put the young lady in good order and led her away, and all passed through London, but did not stop; for it was intended that the Londoners should receive her another time, when the king had married her, and she would be king of England, in all respects and with such solemnity as they are bound to when a queen of England (and the king who has married her), enters the city of London for the first time. Those who accompanied the young queen hurried on until they came to York. There was she received most solemnly and greatly, and all the lords of England who were there came out in good order to meet her, and also the young king who found her on the field mounted on a small horse [haquenée: hackney], very well dressed and very richly adorned, and took her by the hand and then hugged her and kissed her, and rode side by side, and with a great stream of minstrels and honours they entered the city, and there was brought to the place where the king and his mother were lodged. The mother of the king received this young queen very gently, for she knew about honours all that is to be known. I will have nothing more to do with this argument. The young king Edward married Philippa of Hainaut in the cathedral church said to be of St. William, and they were married by the archbishop there, by virtue of the dispensation which had been obtained in Avignon, and this was the day of the Conversion of Saint Paul [25 January] and the king was 17 years of age and the young queen on the verge of 14, and this was in the Year of Grace of Our Lord one thousand three hundred and twenty-seven [i.e. 1328]. It may and should be known that all solemnities and feasts were held these days without sparing anything, and biraus and minstrels were greatly paid. And after this wedding, the king Edward, and his lady mother, and the young queen her daughter remained at York or thereabouts, till the time of Easter, when they came to London and Windsor, and were received there with all possible feasts, and in the month of May when the queen entered London, great jousts were held, and many Hainauters came and, in particular, Jehan of Hainaut and the lord Guillaume of Villers were there, and the lords of Enghien, who triumphed in the jousts.

1364 words.

Tags

Tags are assigned inclusively on the basis of an entry’s original text and any comment. You may find this confusing if you only read an entry excerpt.

• Bishop of Durham (1) ·
• 📌Canterbury Cathedral (1) ·
• Canterbury (1) ·
• City of London (9) ·
• Conversion of Paul the Apostle (1) ·
• Dartford (1) ·
• 📌Durham (2) ·
• Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent (1) ·
• Edward II (1284-September 1327) (3), reigned 1307 until his deposition in January 1327 ·
• Edward III (1312-1377) (5), ruled 1327-1377, noted for military successes, restoration of royal authority, evolution of parliament, Black Death ·
• Eltham (1) ·
• France (31) ·
• Froissart’s Chronicles (1) ·
• Froissart, Jean (ca. 1337-ca. 1405) (1), French-speaking author and court historian from the Low Countries whose chronicles are recognised as the chief expression of the chivalric revival of the 14th-century kingdoms of England, France and Scotland ·
• 📌Greenwich (2) ·
• Invasion of England (1326) (1) ·
• Isabella of France (ca. 1295-1358) (1), wife of Edward II, regent of England 1327-1330 on behalf of Edward III until overthrown by him ·
• John Bourchier, 1st Baron Berners (1) ·
• John of Beaumont (1288-1356) (1), originally styled John of Hainaut, younger brother of William I of Hainaut, uncle of Edward III's wife Philippa ·
• Kent (3) ·
• Lewis de Beaumont (before 1270-1333) (1), second cousin of Edward II, (allegedly illiterate) Bishop of Durham (1317-), (incompetent) military leader in the second half of the First War of Scottish Independence ·
• London (74) ·
• Philippa of Hainaut (1310 or 1315-1369) (1), wife of Edward III (married 1328), regent in 1346 during the Hundred Years' War ·
• Richard Pynson (1) ·
• 📌Rochester, Kent (1) ·
• Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March (1) ·
• Scotland (37) ·
• Thomas Becket (2) ·
• 📌Valenciennes, Nord department, France (2) ·
• William I, Count of Hainaut (1), father of Edward III's wife Philippa ·
• 📌York Minster (27) ·
• 📌York (164) ·

All tags.

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