[ [21] ]
Villani, a very good authority on the subject, says 6000, brought from the ships at Harfleur.
[ [22] ]
A mistranslation of 'une esclistre,' 'a flash of lightning.'
[ [23] ]
These 'leaps' of the Genoese are invented by the translator, and have passed from him into several respectable English text-books, sometimes in company with the eclipse above mentioned. Froissart says 'Il commencièrent à juper moult epouvantablement'; that is, 'to utter cries.' Another text makes mention of the English cannons at this point: 'The English remained still and let off some cannons that they had, to frighten the Genoese.'
[ [24] ]
The translator's word 'relieve' (relyuue) represents 'relever,' for 'se relever.'
[ [25] ]
'Sus le nuit,' 'towards nightfall.'
[ [26] ]
The text has suffered by omissions. What Froissart says is that if the battle had begun in the morning, it might have gone better for the French, and then he instances the exploits of those who broke through the archers. The battle did not begin till four o'clock in the afternoon.
[ [27] ]
'Que il laissent à l'enfant gaegnier ses esperons.'
[ [28] ]
i.e. 'they repoined': Fr. 'se reprisent.'
[ [29] ]
'C'est la fortune de France': but the better MSS. have 'c'est li infortunés rois de France.'
[ [30] ]
Another text makes the loss of persons below the rank of knight 15,000 or 16,000, including the men of the towns. Both estimates must be greatly exaggerated. Michael of Northburgh says that 1542 were killed in the battle and about 2000 on the next day. The great princes killed were the king of Bohemia, the duke of Lorraine, the earls of Alençon, Flanders, Blois, Auxerre, Harcourt, Saint-Pol, Aumale, the grand prior of France and the archbishop of Rouen.