Westminster Chronicle. At that time, in Apulia, at Taranto, the duke of Anjou1 died. Two years earlier he had crossed the Alps with a huge army and come into Italy with the intention of destroying Rome, indeed the pope too, together with all his men. He could easily have done this, perhaps, if he had kept to the route he had begun. But Count Salm piously turned him aside from this purpose, and, lest he should commit this crime, addressed him with many arguments and warnings. He asserted that that place was most holy, and consecrated throughout by the blood of the holy martyrs, and that many bodies of saints were known to lie buried there. Out of reverence for them, he advised him not to do any harm either to that place or to the persons dwelling in it. Instead, he persuaded him to keep to the straight road towards Apulia, leaving them in peace, since fighting against clerics and priests could bring him more disgrace than honour. The duke agreed to his wishes, and at once, turning his route, made his way towards Apulia, where he had chiefly intended to go, and soon afterwards, as has been related above, there ended his last day. Also, around the same time, in Brittany, the duchess2 of that same land died, the sister of the lord king on his mother’s side.
Quo in tempore in Apulea apud Tarentum obiit dux Andegaviæ qui a duobus annis elapsis cum ingenti exercitu Alpes pertransiens venit Italiam eo animo ut Romam immo et papam cum omnibus suis pariter destrueret. Quod facile potuisset si cœptum iter forsitan tenuisset, sed comes Salmo eum ab hoc proposito pie inflexit, ne hoc scelus committeret ipsum est multis rationibus et monitis allocutus, asserens illum locum fore sanctisimum ac per totum sanguine sanctorum martyrum dedicatum atque multa sanctorum corpora ibi quiescere dinoseuntur humata, ob quorum reverentiam consuluit eum ne aliquid mali faceret illi loco neque personis in eo habitantibus, sed cœptum iter versus Apuleam recto tramite tenere sibi suasit, illis dimissis in pace, quoniam adversus clericos et presbyteros dimicare magis dedecus quam honor sibi potuit applaudere. Dux vero annuit votis suis et continuo flexo itinere versus Apuleam tendit quo principaliter ire disposuit et cito post ibi ut est supra relatum diem clausit extremum. Item circa idem tempus in minori Britannia obiit ducissa ejusdem, soror domini regis ex parte matris.
Note 1. Louis Valois [aged 45], 1339-1384, son of King John II of France and Bonne of Luxembourg. He married in 1360 Marie Chatillon and had issue. He died on 20th September 1384.
Note 2. Joan Holland, 1350-1384, daughter of Thomas Holland, 1st Earl of Kent and Joan the Fair Maid of Kent. Joan was maternal half-sister of King Richard II. She married in 1366 John Montfort, Duke of Brittany. There was no issue from the marriage.
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