[579] In reality, until five o'clock in the evening, or about nine hours in all.
[580] The tide of battle was finally turned in favor of the English by the arrival of reinforcements in the shape of a squadron of Flemish vessels. The contest was not so one-sided or the French defeat so complete as Froissart represents, yet it was decisive enough, as is indicated by the fact that only thirty of the French ships survived and 20,000 French and Genoese were slain or taken prisoners, as against an English loss of about 10,000.
[581] June 24, 1340.
[582] As appears from Froissart's account (see [p. 431]), the king, on the advice of some of his knights, decided at one time to postpone the attack until the following day; but, the army falling into hopeless confusion and coming up unintentionally within sight of the English, he recklessly gave the order to advance to immediate combat. Perhaps, however, it is only fair to place the blame upon the system which made the army so unmanageable, rather than upon the king personally.
[583] That is, the plain east of the village of Crécy.
[584] The king's eldest son, Edward, generally known as the Black Prince.
[585] Abbeville was on the Somme about fifteen miles south of Crécy.
[586] This incident very well illustrates the confusion and lack of discipline prevailing in a typical feudal army.
[587] Edward, the Black Prince, eldest son of the English king.
[588] The Emperor Henry VII., 1308-1314.