The first is especially valuable as an example of how our language looked and sounded during the first quarter of the sixteenth century. The translator, John Bourchier, Lord Berners, was a notable soldier and statesman, as well as a scholar. He came of a good family: his grandfather was son of Anne, granddaughter of King Edward the Third. He was born about 1467; in due time went to college, fought in the French wars, travelled on the Continent, became a favorite of King Henry the Eighth, was employed in honorable embassies, became chancellor of the exchequer, and finally passed his quiet age as governor of Calais. It was at the request of King Henry the Eighth that he translated Froissart into English, though he evidently loved our fine old writer on his own account, and speaks thus in his quaint preface: “...Whan I advertysed and remembred the manyfolde comodyties of hystorie, howe benefyciall it is to mortall folke, and eke howe laudable and merytoryous a deed it is to write hystories, fixed my mynde to do some thyng therein; and ever whan this ymaginacyon came to me, I volved, tourned, and redde many volumes and bokes, conteyning famouse histories; and amonge all other, I redde diligently the four volumes or bokes of sir Johan Froyssart of the countrey of Heynaulte, written in the Frenche tonge, whiche I iudged comodyous, necessarie, and profytable to be hadde in Englysshe, sithe they treat of the famous actes done in our parties; ... and specially they redounde to the honoure of Englysshemen.” Accordingly, under the “gracyous suppertacyon” of the king, he made his translation, the first volume of which was printed by Pyason in the year 1523, announcing itself thus: “Here begynnith the firste volum of Syr John Froissart: of the Cronycles of Englande, Fraunce, Spayne, Portyugale, Scotlande, Bretaine, Flaunders: and other places adjoynynge. Translated oute of Frenche into oure maternall Englysshe tongue, by John Bouchier, knyghte, lorde Berners: At the commandement of oure moste hyghe redouted Soveraygne lorde kynge Henrye the VIII, kynge of Englaunde, Fraunce, and Irelande, defendour of the faith: and of the church of Englande and also of Irelande in earth the supreme heade.” I earnestly hope that this following chapter of what may perhaps fairly be called the first classic in modern English prose may tempt some young reader hereafter to study Berners more carefully, and to re-infuse, under his influence, the old fire and color and brightness into the pale and often pitiful sentences of our current style.--S. L.] _Of the batayle of Cressy bytwene the kyng of England and the frenche kyng._ CAP. CXXX.