The battell is begun.
The force of the English archer.
The lord Iames Audeley.
The French king hauing in his armie thrée score thousand fighting men, wherof there were more than thrée thousand knights, made so sure account of victorie, as anie man might of a thing not yet had, considering his great puissance, in regard to the small number of his aduersaries: and therefore immediatlie after that the cardinall was departed, he caused his battels to march forward, and approching to the place where the Englishmen stood readie to receiue their enimies, caused the onset to be giuen. There were certeine French horssemen, to the number of thrée hundred, with the Almains also on horssebacke appointed to breake the arraie of the English archers, but the archers were so defended and compassed about with hedges and ditches, that the horssemen of the French part could not enter to doo their feat, and being galled with the sharpe shot of the English bowes, they were ouerthrowne horsse and man, so that the vaward of the Frenchmen, wherein was the duke of Athens, with the marshals of France, the lord Iohn de Cleremont, and the lord Arnold Dandrehen or Odenhen, began to disorder within a while, by reason of the shot of the archers, togither with the helpe of the men of armes, amongst whome in the forefront was the lord Iames Audeley, to performe a vow which he had made, to be one of the first setters on.
Tho. Walsi.
The earles of Warwike and Suffolke.
There was the lord Arnold Dandrehen taken prisoner, and the lord Iohn de Cleremont slaine, so that the noble prowesse of the said lord Iames Audeley, breaking through the Frenchmens battell with the slaughter of manie enimies, was that day most apparant. The loiall constancie of the noble earles of Warwike and Suffolke, that fought so stoutlie, so earnestlie, and so fiercelie, was right manifest. And the prince himselfe did not onelie fulfill the office of a noble chéefteine, but also of a right valiant and expert souldiour, attempting what soeuer any other hardie warriour would in such cases haue done. Neither was this battell quicklie dispatched, nor easilie brought to end; but it was fought out with such obstinate earnestnesse, that thrée times that daie were the Englishmen driuen to renew the fight, through the multitude of enimies that increased and came still vpon them.
The marshals battell put to ye worst.
The Frenchmen séeke to saue themselues by flight.