On the Friday, as I said before, the King of England lay in the
fields, for the country was plentiful of wines and other victual, and
if need had been, they had provision following in carts and other
carriages. That night the King made a supper to all his chief lords of
his host and made them good cheer; and when they were all departed to
take their rest, then the King entered into his oratory and kneeled
down before the altar, praying God devoutly that if he fought the next
day, that he might achieve the journey to His honor; then about
midnight he laid him down to rest, and in the morning he rose betimes
and heard mass, and the Prince his son with him, and the most part of
his company, were confessed and houseled; and after the mass said, he
commanded every man to be armed and to draw to the field to the same
place before appointed. Then the King caused a park to be made by the
wood-side behind his host, and there was set all carts and carriages,
and within the park were all their horses, for every man was afoot;
and into this park there was but one entry. Then he ordained three
battles: In the first was the young Prince of Wales, with him the Earl
of Warwick and Oxford, the Lord Godfrey of Harcourt, Sir Raynold
Cobham, Sir Thomas Holland, the Lord Stafford, the Lord of Mohun, the
Lord Delaware, Sir John Chandos, Sir Bartholomew de Burghersh, Sir
Robert Nevill, the Lord Thomas Clifford, the Lord Bourchier, the Lord
de Latimer, and divers other knights and squires that I cannot name;
they were an eight hundred men of arms and two thousand archers, and a
thousand of other with the Welshmen; every lord drew to the field
appointed under his own banner and pennon. In the second battle was
the Earl of Northampton, the Earl of Arundel, the Lord Ros, the Lord
Lucy, the Lord Willoughby, the Lord Basset, the Lord of Saint-Aubin,
Sir Louis Tufton, the Lord of Multon, the Lord Lascelles and divers
other, about an eight hundred men of arms and twelve hundred archers.
The third battle had the King; he had seven hundred men of arms and
two thousand archers. Then the King leapt on a hobby, with a white rod
in his hand, one of his marshals on the one hand and the other on the
other hand: he rode from rank to rank desiring every man to take heed
that day to his right and honor. He spake it so sweetly and with so
good countenance and merry cheer, that all such as were discomfited
took courage in the seeing and hearing of him. And when he had thus
visited all his battles, it was then nine of the day; then he caused
every man to eat and drink a little, and so they did at their leisure.
And afterward they ordered again their battles; then every man lay
down on the earth and by him his salet and bow, to be the more fresher
when their enemies should come.
THE ORDER OF THE FRENCHMEN AT CRESSY, AND HOW THEY BEHELD THE DEMEANOR
OF THE ENGLISHMEN
This Saturday the French King rose betimes and heard mass in Abbeville
in his lodging in the abbey of St. Peter, and he departed after the
sun-rising. When he was out of the town two leagues, approaching
towards his enemies, some of his lords said to him, "Sir, it were good
that ye ordered your battles, and let all your footmen pass somewhat
on before, that they be not troubled with the horsemen." Then the King
sent four knights, the Moine [of] Bazeilles, the Lord of Noyers, the
Lord of Beaujeu, and the Lord d'Aubigny, to ride to aview the English
host; and so they rode so near that they might well see part of their
dealing. The Englishmen saw them well and knew well how they were come
thither to aview them; they let them alone and made no countenance
toward them, and let them return as they came. And when the French
King saw these four knights return again, he tarried till they came to
him and said, "Sirs, what tidings?" These four knights each of them
looked on other, for there was none would speak before his companion;
finally the King said to [the] Moine, who pertained to the King of
Bohemia and had done in his days so much that he was reputed for one
of the valiantest knights of the world, "Sir, speak you." Then he
said:--"Sir, I shall speak, sith it pleaseth you, under the correction
of my fellows. Sir, we have ridden and seen the behaving of your
enemies: know ye for truth they are rested in three battles abiding
for you. Sir, I will counsel you as for my part, saving your
displeasure, that you and all your company rest here and lodge for
this night; for or they that be behind of your company be come hither,
and or your battles be set in good order, it will be very late, and
your people be weary and out of array, and ye shall find your enemies
fresh and ready to receive you. Early in the morning ye may order your
battles at more leisure and advise your enemies at more deliberation,
and to regard well what way ye will assail them; for, sir, surely they
will abide you."
Then the King commanded that it should be so done. Then his two
marshals one rode before, another behind, saying to every banner,
"Tarry and abide here in the name of God and St. Denis." They that
were foremost tarried, but they that were behind would not tarry, but
rode forth, and said how they would in no wise abide till they were as
far forward as the foremost; and when they before saw them come on
behind, then they rode forward again, so that the King nor his
marshals could not rule them. So they rode without order or good
array, till they came in sight of their enemies; and as soon as the
foremost saw them they reculed then aback without good array, whereof
they behind had marvel and were abashed, and thought that the foremost
company had been fighting. Then they might have had leisure and room
to have gone forward, if they had list; some went forth, and some
abode still. The commons, of whom all the ways between Abbeville and
Cressy were full, when they saw that they were near to their enemies,
they took their swords and cried, "Down with them! let us slay them
all." There is no man, though he were present at the journey, that
could imagine or shew the truth of the evil order that was among the
French party, and yet they were a marvelous great number. That I write
in this book I learned it specially of the Englishmen, who well beheld
their dealing; and also certain knights of Sir John of Hainault's, who
was always about King Philip, shewed me as they knew.