=Source.=--Waurin's _Chronicles_, 1422-1431, pp. 73-78. (Rolls
Series.)
The Duke of Bedford, the regent, took the field in very fair array,
and rode on until he had passed the woods near Verneuil; and when he
found himself in the plain he beheld the town and all the force of
the French arranged and set in order of battle, which was a very fair
thing to see; for without doubt I, the author of this work, had never
seen a fairer company, nor one where there were so many of the nobility
as there were there, nor set in better order, nor showing greater
appearance of a desire to fight; I saw the assembly at Azincourt, where
there were many more princes and troops, and also that at Crevant,
which was a very fine affair, but certainly that at Verneuil was of all
the most formidable and the best fought.... At the onset there was a
great noise and great shouting with tumultuous sounds of the trumpets
and clarions; the one side cried "Saint Denis!" and the others "Saint
George!" And so horrible was the shouting that there was no man so
brave or confident that he was not in fear of death; they began to
strike with axes and to thrust with lances, then they put their hands
to their swords, with which they gave each other great blows and deadly
strokes; the archers of England and the Scots, who were with the
French, began to shoot one against the other so murderously that it was
a horror to look upon them, for they carried death to those whom they
struck with full force. After the shooting, the opponents attacked each
other very furiously, hand to hand; and this battle was on a Thursday,
the seventeenth day of August, commencing about two hours after
noon.... Many a capture and many a rescue was made there, and many a
drop of blood shed, which was a great horror and irreparable pity to
see Christian people so destroy one another, for during this pitiable
and deadly battle mercy had no place there, so much did the parties
hate each other; the blood of the slain stretched upon the ground, and
that of the wounded ran in great streams about the field. This battle
lasted about three-quarters of an hour, very terrible and sanguinary,
and it was not then in the memory of man to have seen two parties so
mighty for such a space of time in like manner fight without being able
to perceive to whom the loss or victory would turn.... Elsewhere, the
duke of Bedford, as I hear related, for I could not see or comprehend
the whole since I was sufficiently occupied in defending myself, did
that day wonderful feats of arms, and killed many a man, for with an
axe which he held in his two hands he reached no one whom he did not
punish, since he was large in body and stout in limb, wise and brave in
arms; but he was very greatly harassed by the Scots, especially by the
earl of Douglas and his troop, insomuch that one knew not what to think
nor to imagine how the affair would terminate, for the French, who had
more men by one-half than the English, fought only to conquer....
Then the French began to be dismayed, losing altogether the hope of
victory which a little while before they thought was in their hands,
but each one of them sought a place where he could save himself, taking
flight as best he might, and abandoning the rest; some drew towards the
town and others took the fields....
Finally, the English pursued the French so, that they obtained the
complete victory on that day and gained the battle, but not without
great effusion of their own blood.