Geoffrey Brereton (1906–1979)

This is an absorbing commentary on the major political and military events in France, England, Scotland and briefly Spain during the Fourteenth Century. Jean Froissart transcribes description from court acquaintances and, as well, writes of his own participation in these historical tales.
He makes some major geographical blunders, but the historical sense and engaging style give these excerpts life and maintain interest.
The old knightly values permeate the lives of the aristocracy; bravery, show more mercy, Christian values, remain the standard of behaviour.
There is a lengthy section devoted to the coup d'etat that toppled Richard II. This was a set Shakespeare play for study at school when I was sixteen (probably because it is relatively short). I remained confused as to who was who until Froissart, and his chronicle on the affair, swept like a new comet into my ken and all became as clear to me as the blue Pacific. show less

This penguin classic edition was translated by Geoffrey Brereton and contains selections from the four books of chronicles written in the 14th century by Jean Froissart, who was at various times attached to the courts of Edward III, Richard II, and the Count of Foix. The chronicles were contemporaneous documents that recorded some of the major events of 14th century France and England. Froissart was writing for the educated classes of his time and so his accounts of events had to be show more realistic. They are in fact more than that as he has his own inimitable style that makes his narratives flow and the events described come alive on the page. He has been described as a forerunner of modern day journalists and I can certainly see why people hold this view.

His narrative accounts of the battles of Poitiers, Crecy, the siege of Calais and the peasants revolt of 1381 have been used extensively by modern day historians. In Froissart's hands they give a real feel for the age in which he was writing. There is plenty of information about how people lived and how they reacted. When he writes more provincially when he was attached to the Count of Foix we get some marvellous medieval tales of haunting, shape changing and sorcery. There is much here for the modern reader, I was enthralled by the descriptions of tournaments, coronations and marriages. His descriptions of the battlefield are at times frighteningly realistic and shot through with medieval lore

I learned much about the period from this book, but at the same time it is very entertaining. Froissart says that the French had come to the battlefield of Poitiers "splendidly provided like men who felt certain in advance of victory. They were routed and there was gold, silver plate, precious jewels, ornamental chests, and splendid cloaks pilfered from the aftermath. At other times the reader is hurled back into the realms of the 14th century when in a narrative description of Edward II's attempted escape from his pursuers we get Froissart saying

"Their plan was to escape to Wales.... but their sins weighed so heavily against them that God would not permit it."

We are told this about one of the brigand leaders that roamed France when King John was a prisoner in England

"This Sir Eustace performed many fine feats of arms and no one could stand up to him, for he was young and deeply in love and full of enterprise."

The English doctor who nursed King Charles VI back from an attack of "madness" goes back to England with a substantial reward but Friossart says of him:

"His only pleasure in life had been to amass great piles of florins. There were days when he hardly spent a penny of his own, but went round getting free meals and drinks wherever he could. All doctors suffer from such weaknesses" show less

This is the most modern of the selections of Froissart that I have read, and Mr. Brereton has made a serious effort to present at least one example of the vast range of topics covered by the work. I can read this as a historical novel, or as a serious source, though academic historians really prefer almost any other source for making serious points. It's a good read, but the Thomas Johnes translatin, though much longer gives a good flavour of the piece. I tried the Lord Berners translation show more from the 1530's but the writing is flatter than Malory, and the spelling has not been regularized as the Penguin Malory is. But for wandering in a medieval experience, muttering out the words one by one, the Berners is wonderful. This Penguin selection is the best way into Froissart, and if you go on to the longer translations you'll be grateful you stared with this one. show less

Froissart is prone to embellishment but, like Herodotus, he is often our only source for the material. Interesting insight into the difficulty of life during that period.