A LARGE BODY OF ENGLISH AND BURGUNDIANS, ON THEIR MARCH TO BESIEGE GUERBIGNY, ARE ATTACKED AND CONQUERED BY THE FRENCH.
Duke Philip of Burgundy was in Brabant when he heard that the French had forced his men to raise the siege of Compiègne. He was much troubled thereat, as well for the loss of his troops in killed and wounded as for the great sums of money he had expended on this siege. He, however, made preparations to return to Artois with all the men at arms he had with him, and summoned his nobles to assemble as large a force as they possibly could.
The duke advanced to Peronne, and sent forward sir Thomas Kiriel, an Englishman, James de Helly, sir Daviod de Poix, Anthony de Vienne, and other captains, with five or six hundred combatants, by way of vanguard, to post themselves at Lihons in Santerre. The duke, in the mean time, was preparing to follow them, having intentions to lodge at Guerbigny, to wait for the arrival of the main body of his men; for the French had possession of the castle, whence they much annoyed the country.
It happened that these captains whom the duke had sent in advance, dislodged one morning from their quarters at Lihons, and took the road toward Guerbigny, in separate bodies, without keeping any order on their march, or sending scouts forward, as experienced men at arms always do, more especially when near their adversaries.
Gerard bastard de Brimeu, the governor of Roye, now joined them with about forty combatants, and they advanced together to a town called Bouchoire. On their march, they put up many hares, which they pursued with much hooting and hallowing, for their captains were very inattentive in not preserving better order,—and many of them had not even put on their armour, for which neglect they suffered severely, as you shall hear.
This same day, Poton de Saintrailles had arrived very early at Guerbigny, and taking the garrison with him, advanced into the open country. He had altogether full twelve hundred fighting men, the greater part well experienced in war, whom he led toward Lihons in Santerre, and prudently sent his scouts before him. These, on approaching Bouchoire, heard the shoutings, and saw the state of the enemy, and returned with all haste to give an account of what they had seen and heard.
Poton, on learning this, ordered his men instantly to prepare themselves, and led them straight to the enemy, admonishing them to do their duty well against adversaries no way in a state for the combat.