For the next eight years, fighting between the two countries was going
on pretty constantly on both land and sea, but without decisive
results. Edward was pressed for money and had to resort to all sorts
of expedients to get it, even to pawning his own and the Queen's
crown, to raise enough to pay his troops. At last he succeeded in
equipping a strong force, and with his son, Prince Edward, a lad of
fifteen, invaded Normandy.
His plan seems to have been to attack the French army in the south of
France; but after landing he changed his mind, and determined to
ravage Normandy, and then march north to meet his Flemish allies, who
were advancing to join him. King Edward halted on a little rise of
ground not far from Cr'ecy (or Cressy), near the coast, on the way to
Calais. There a desperate battle took place. (See map facing
p. 128.)
The French had the larger force, but Edward the better position.
Philip's army included a number of hired Genoese crossbowmen, on whom
he placed great dependence; but a thunderstorm had wet their
bowstrings, which rendered them nearly useless, and, as they advanced
toward the English, the afternoon sun shone so brightly in their eyes
that they could not take accurate aim. The English archers, on the
other hand, had kept their long bows in their cases, so that the
strings were dry and ready for action (S270).
In the midst of the fight, the Earl of Warwick, who was hard pressed
by the enemy, became alarmed for the safety of young King Edward. He
sent to the King, asking reenforcements.
"Is my son killed?" asked the King. "No, sire, please God!" "Is he
wounded?" "No, sire." "Is he thrown to the ground?" "No, sire; but
he is in great danger." "Then," said the King, "I shall send no aid.
Let the boy win his spurs[1]; for I wish, if God so order it, that the
honor of victory shall be his." The father's wish was gratified.
From that time the "Black Prince," as the French called Prince Edward,
from the color of his armor, became a name renowned throughout Europe.
[1] Spurs were the especial badge of knighthood. It was expected of
every one who attained that honor that he should do some deed of
valor; this was called "winning his spurs."
The battle, however, was gained, not by his bravery, or that of the
nobles who supported him, but by the sturdy English yeomen armed with
their long bows. With these weapons they shot their keen white arrows
so thick and fast, and with such deadly aim, that a writer who was
present on the field compared them to a shower of snow. It was that
fatal snowstorm which won the day.[2] We shall see presently (S240)
that the great importance of this victory to the English turned on the
fact that by it King Edward was able to move on Calais and secure
possession of that port.
[2] The English yeomen, or country people, excelled in the use of the
long bow. They probably learned its value from their Norman
conquerors, who empoyed it with great effect at the battle of
Hastings. Writing at a much later period, Bishop Latimer said: "In my
tyme my poore father was as diligent to teach me to shote as to learne
anye other thynge....He taught me how to drawe, how to laye my bodye
in my bowe, and not to drawe wyth strength of armes as other nacions
do, but wyth strength of the bodye. I had bowes broughte me accordyng
to my age and strength; as I encreased in them, so my bowes were made
bigger, and bigger, for men shal neuer shot well, excepte they be
broughte up in it." The advantage of this weapon over the steel
crossbow (used by the Genoese) lay in the fact that it could be
discharged much more rapidly, the latter being a cumbrous affair,
which had to be wound up with a crank for each shot. Hence the
English long bow was to that age what the revolver is to ours. It
sent an arrow with such force that only the best armor could withstand
it. The French peasantry at that period had no skill with this
weapon, and about the only part they took in a battle was to stab
horses and despatch wounded men.
Scott, in the Archery Contest in "Ivanhoe" (Chapter XIII), has
given an excellent picture of the English bowman.