CHAPTER LI.
The King of France pursues the King of England, in the Country of Beauvais.
I WISH now to return to King Philip, whom we left at St. Denis with his army, which was increasing every day. He marched off with it, and pushed forward until he came to Coppigny les Guises, which is three leagues distant from Amiens, where he halted. The King of England, who was still at Airaines, was much embarrassed how to cross the Somme, which was wide and deep, as all the bridges had been broken down, and their situations were well guarded by men at arms. The two marshals, at the request of the king, followed the course of the river, in order if possible to find a passage for the army: they had with them a thousand men at arms and two thousand archers. They passed by Lompré, and came to Pont de Remy, which they found defended by numbers of knights, squires, and people of the country. The English dismounted, and attacked the French from the very dawn of the morning until near ten o’clock; but the bridge was so well fortified and guarded, that they could not gain any thing: so they departed, and went to a large town called Fontaines-sur-Somme, which they completely plundered and burnt, as it was quite open. They next came to another town, called Long, in Ponthieu; but they could not gain the bridge, so well was it guarded. They then rode on to Pecquigny, but found the town, castle, and bridge so well garrisoned that it was impossible to pass. In this manner had the King of France ordered all the bridges and fords of the river Somme to be guarded, to prevent the King of England from crossing it with his army; for he was resolved to force them to fight when he should see the most favorable opportunity, or else to starve them.
The two marshals, having thus in vain followed the course of the Somme, returned to the King of England, and related to him that they were unable to find a passage anywhere. That same evening the King of France took up his quarters at Amiens, with upward of one hundred thousand men. The King of England was very pensive: he ordered mass before sunrise, and his trumpets to sound for decamping. All sorts of people followed the marshals’ banners, according to the orders the king had issued the preceding day; and they marched through the country of Vimeu, drawing near to the good town of Abbeville. In their march they came to a town where a great number of country-people had assembled, trusting to some small fortifications which were thrown up there; but the English conquered the town as soon as they came to it, and all that were within. Many of the townsmen and those from the adjoining country were slain or taken prisoners. The king lodged that night in the great hospital.
The King of France set out from Amiens, and came to Airaines about noon: the English king had quitted it about ten o’clock. The French found there provisions of all sorts; meat on the spits, bread and pastry in the ovens, wine in barrels, and even some tables ready spread, for the English had left it in very great haste. The King of France fixed his quarters there, to wait for his nobles and their retinue. The King of England was in the town of Oisemont. When his two marshals returned in the evening, after having overrun the country as far as the gates of Abbeville, and St. Valery, where they had a smart skirmish, the King of England summoned a council, and ordered many prisoners, whom his people had made in the districts of Ponthieu and Vimeu, to be brought before him.
The king most courteously asked if any of them knew a ford below Abbeville, where he and his army could pass without danger; and added, “Whoever will show us such a ford shall have his liberty, and that of any twenty of his fellow-soldiers whom he may wish to select.” There was among them a common fellow whose name was Gobin Agace, who answered the king, and said, “Sir, I promise you, under peril of my life, that I will conduct you to such a place, where you and your whole army may pass the river Somme without any risk. There are certain fordable places where you may pass twelve men abreast twice in the day, and not have water above your knees; but, when the tide is in, the river is full and deep, and no one can cross it: when the tide is out, the river is so low that it may be passed on horseback or on foot without danger. The bottom of this ford is very hard, of gravel and white stones, over which all your carriages may safely pass, and from thence is called Blanchetaque. You must therefore set out early, so as to be at the ford before sunrise.”—“Friend,” replied the king, “if I find what thou hast just said to be true, I will give thee and all thy companions their liberty; and I will besides make thee a present of a hundred nobles.” The king gave orders for every one to be ready to march at the first sound of his trumpet, and to proceed forward.
CHAPTER LII.
The Battle of Blanchetaque, between the King of England and Sir Godémar du Fay.
THE King of England did not sleep much that night, but, rising at midnight, ordered his trumpet to sound. Very soon every thing was ready; and, the baggage being loaded, they set out from the town of Oisemont about daybreak, and rode on, under the guidance of Gobin Agace, until they came to the ford of Blanchetaque about sunrise; but the tide was at that time so full, they could not cross. The king, however, determined to wait there for those of his army who were not yet come up; and he remained until after ten o’clock, when the tide was gone out. The King of France, who had his scouts all over the country, was informed of the situation of the King of England: he imagined he should be able to shut him up between Abbeville and the Somme, and then take him prisoner, or force him to fight at a disadvantage. From the time of his arrival at Amiens, he had ordered a great baron of Normandy, called Sir Godémar du Fay, to guard this ford of Blanchetaque, at which the English must cross and nowhere else. Sir Godémar had set out, in obedience to this order, and had with him altogether one thousand men at arms and six thousand foot, with the Genoese. He had passed St. Ricquier in Ponthieu, and from there came to Crotoy, where this ford was. He had collected in his march great numbers of the country-people. The townsmen of Abbeville had also accompanied him, excellently well appointed: they had arrived at the passage before the English. They were in all fully twelve thousand men. Among them were two thousand who had jackets resembling wagoners’ frocks, called torriquiaux.
On the arrival of the English army, Sir Godémar du Fay drew up his men on the banks of the river to defend the ford. The King of England, however, did not for this give up his intention of crossing; but, as soon as the tide was sufficiently gone out, he ordered his marshals to dash into the water, in the name of God and St. George. The most doughty and the best-mounted leaped in first, and in the river the engagement began: many on both sides were unhorsed into the water. There were some knights and squires from Artois and Picardy, in the pay of Sir Godémar, who, in hope of preferment and to acquire honor, had posted themselves at this ford; and they appeared to be equally fond of tilting in the water as on dry land.
The French were drawn up in battle-array near the narrow pass leading to the ford, and the English were much annoyed by them as they came out of the water to gain the land; for there were among them Genoese cross-bow-men, who did them much mischief. On the other hand, the English archers shot so well together, that they forced the men at arms to give way. At this ford of Blanchetaque many gallant feats of arms were performed on each side; but in the end the English crossed over, and, as they came on shore, hastened to the fields. After the king, the prince, and the other lords had crossed, the French did not long keep their order, but ran for the fastest. When Sir Godémar du Fay found his army was discomfited, he saved himself as quickly as he could, and many with him; some making for Abbeville, others for St. Ricquier. The infantry, however, could not escape, and there were numbers of those from Abbeville, Arras, Montreuil, and St. Ricquier, slain or taken prisoners. The pursuit lasted more than a league. The English had scarcely gained the opposite bank, when some of the light-horse of the French army, particularly those belonging to the King of Bohemia and Sir John of Hainault, advanced on the rear, took from them some horses and accoutrements, and slew several on the bank who were late in crossing. The King of France had set out from Airaines that morning, thinking to find the English on the banks of the Somme. When news was brought to him of the defeat of Sir Godémar and his army, he immediately halted, and demanded of his marshals what was to be done. They answered, “You can only cross the river by the bridge of Abbeville, for the tide is now in at Blanchetaque.” The King of France therefore turned back, and took up his quarters at Abbeville. The King of England, when he had crossed the Somme, gave thanks to God for it, and began his march in the same order he had done before. He called to him Gobin Agace, gave him and his companions their freedom without ransom, and ordered the hundred nobles of gold to be presented him, as well as a good horse. The king continued his march, thinking to take up his quarters at a good and large town called Noyelle, situated hard by; but when he was informed that it belonged to the Countess d’Aumale, sister to the late Robert d’Artois, he sent to assure the inhabitants, as well as all the farmers belonging to her, that they should not be hurt. He marched farther on, but his two marshals rode to Crotoy near the sea: they took the town, and burnt it. In the harbor they found many ships and other vessels laden with wines from Poitou, Saintonge, and La Rochelle. They ordered the best to be carried to the English army; then one of the marshals pushed forward, even as far as the gates of Abbeville, and returned by St. Ricquier, following the seashore to the town of St. Esprit de Rue.
These two battalions of the marshals came on a Friday, in the afternoon, to where the king was; and they fixed their quarters, all three together, near Crecy in Ponthieu. The King of England, who had been informed that the King of France was following him in order to give him battle, said to his people, “Let us post ourselves here; for we will not go farther before we have seen our enemies. I have good reason to wait for them on this spot, as I am now upon the lawful inheritance of my lady-mother, which was given her as her marriage-portion; and I am resolved to defend it against my adversary Philip de Valois.” Inasmuch as his forces were not more than one-eighth as many as those of the King of France, his marshals fixed upon the most advantageous situation; and the army went and took possession of it. He then sent his scouts toward Abbeville, to learn if the King of France meant to take the field this Friday; but they returned, and said they saw no appearance of it: upon which he dismissed his men to their quarters, with orders to be in readiness by times in the morning, and to assemble in the same place. The King of France remained all Friday in Abbeville, waiting for more troops. He sent his marshals, the Lord of St. Venant, and Lord Charles of Montmorency, out of Abbeville to examine the country, and get some certain intelligence of the English. They returned about vespers, with the information that the English were encamped on the plain. That night the King of France entertained at supper in Abbeville all the princes and chief lords. There was much conversation relative to war; and the king entreated them after supper, that they would always remain in friendship with each other,—that they would be friends without jealousy, and courteous without pride. The king was still expecting the Earl of Savoy, who ought to have been there with a thousand lances, as he had been well paid for them at Troyes in Champaign three months in advance.