most famous of these writers, JEAN FROISSART, has been characterised in
my text (p. 419). He can best be studied in Luce and Raynouart's
excellent edition for the Soc. de l'Histoire de France (tomes i.-viii.,
1869-1888) which completes the story up to Edward III.'s death. Luce's
careful "sommaire et commentaire critique" often affords means of
checking Froissart by other sources. The magnificent volumes of indexes
of Kervyn de Lettenhove's complete edition (vols. XX.-XXV.) are still
of immense use, though his text and comments are inferior to those of
Luce, Froissart's spirit may well be caught in Lord Berners's racy
English translation (Tudor Translations), or in G.C. Macaulay's useful
abridgment. The three redactions of Froissart's first book (from 1327
to 1373-1377), which is all that concerns our period, have been clearly
distinguished by Luce. (1) The first edition, written about 1373, at
the request of Count Robert of Namur, is inspired by an English bias.
Up to 1360 it is largely derived from the chronicle of JEAN LE BEL,
Canon of St. Lambert of Liege; after that date it is original. (2) The
second edition, only represented by two MSS., of which one is
incomplete, is a modification of the first with a French bias. The
earlier part is more independent of Jean le Bel. (3) The third edition,
preserved in a single MS., ends with the death of Philip VI in 1350,
and, written after 1400, is even more hostile to England than the
second. The best edition of Jean le Bel is by Polain for the Academie
royale de Belgique.

A few of the more important French chronicles after 1328 may be
mentioned shortly. (1) _Grands Chroniques de France_ (ed. Paulin
Paris). Original from 1350 to 1377, a work of first-rate importance,
where, if truth is altered, it is altered deliberately from political
motives. (2) JEAN DE VENETTE, 1340-1368, written with a popular bias,
and partly favourable to Charles of Navarre (edited as a supplement to
Geraud's edition of Guillaume de Nangis, ii., 178-378, Soc. de l'Hist.
de France). (3) _Chronique Normande du xiv'e siecle_, 1337-1372 (ed.
Molinier, Soc. de l'Hist. de France, 1882), exact and very important
for the wars 1337 to 1372. (4) _Chronique des quatre premiers Valois_
(Soc. de l'Hist. de France). (5) CUVELIER'S poetical _Vie de Bertrand
du Guesclin_ (2 vols., _Doc. inedits_). Further details can be found in
Molinier's bibliography. Netherlandish sources for the Hundred Years'
War are summarised i