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SIR JOHN FROISSART
Chronicles of England, France, Spain and the adjoining countries
from the latter part of the reign of Edward II to the coronation of Henry IV. Vol.2
page 255
been king. He bethought himfelf, that as Lom-bards are very poor, and by nature avaricious, he would attempt to recover the town of Calais, by means of Aymery de Pa vie the governor : and as, from the terms of the truce, the inhabitants of the towns of St. Omer and Calais might go to each place to fell their different merchandizes, fir Geoffry entered into a fecret treaty with fir Aymery, and fucceeded fo far that he promifed to deliver up thm town, on receiving twenty thoufand crowns.
The king of England, however, got intelligence of it, and fent to Aymery the Lombard, orders to crofs the fea immediately, and come to him at Weftminfter. He obeyed ; for he could not ima-gine that the king knew of his treafon, it had been fo fecretly carried on* .
* When the king faw the Lombard, he took him àfide, and faid ; ' Thou knoweft that I have en-trufted to thee what I hold deareft in this world, except my wife and children, I mean the town and caftie of Calais, which thou haft fold to the French, and for which thou deferveft death/ The Lom-bard flung himfelf on his knees, and faid ; f Ah, gentle ling, have mercy on me, for God's fake. All that you have faid is very true ; but there is yet time to break the bargain, for hitherto I have not received one penny/ • *
The king had brought up this Lombard from a child, and much loved him : he replied, ' Aymery, it is my wiih that you continue on this treaty: you will inform me of the day that you are to deliver
* up
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