At the beginning of this year, the famine, which had long afflicted many parts, was much increased; and it was pitiful to see the multitudes of poor who died daily from want. There were also epidemic distempers in various parts of France, and in Flanders,—but the towns of Bruges and Paris suffered more from them than any other. War was likewise carried on with great bitterness in many places. From these three plagues many of the nobles, and common people were great sufferers, and in doleful perplexity. In the mean time, that body of French called Skinners remained in large parties on the borders of Burgundy, where they committed unnumbered mischiefs, by taking castles and prisoners, killing men, and ravishing women, noble or not, and acting as if they were in a country conquered from an enemy.

The duke of Burgundy was exceedingly angry when these things came to his knowledge, as well from his love to his vassals as from the time that they had chosen for these misdeeds, when his country was afflicted with famine and mortality.