Polydore Vergil. 17 Aug 1424. 5. At this time Charles (age 21) was staying at Tours, and aware of this business from the start, did not appear to be much concerned. Rather, relying partly on the nature of the place, and partly on the strength of his followers, he only gathered sufficient forces to fight the enemy on equal terms. Therefore, when he had assembled a larger army, he sent Duke John of Alençon (age 15) to assist his subjects, and he ordered him not to shrink from a battle, should the situation require it. The Duke departed quickly, and before approaching the place he learned of the castle’s surrender, and then, obliged by necessity to change his route, he went to Verneuil and stormed it, killing a goodly part of the English garrison. And he was soon given this town, defended by great works, because he had long insisted it should be part of his domain. When this was reported to Bedford (age 35), with no hesitation he marched to Verneuil in battle array, and in the same way approached the enemy camp. For a very little while the French were terrified by their enemies’ approach, and debated what should be done. Almost all were of the opinion that they should wait in the camp until the enemy’s intention was clearer. For they were mindful of all the times they had previously been defeated whenever they engaged the English, and so were not unwilling to delay coming to blows. But when they saw the enemy battle-line drawing closer and closer, their spirits surged and, howling and chanting as was their habit, they took up arms and stationed themselves before the camp. The battle was begun with missiles, but they immediately abandoned these and came together, drawing their swords and running at each other with a great shout. They fought strenuously and continually, and on such even terms that one could not easily tell which way the battle was inclining, with many men falling on both sides. Their outcries were similar, as also the manner of their fighting. Wherever danger threatened the most. there they more earnestly strove to resist and repel, and so the fight dragged on for more than four hours, and the outcome was still uncertain. Meanwhile the Duke of Alençon (age 15) did not desist in both beseeching and exhorting his soldiers not to flag, nor to allow the enemy, now falling back, to conquer. And Bedford (age 35) himself also went around everywhere, exhorted, renewed the fight at every point. And when in the end he appreciated that the French were exhausted by their effort and heat (for it is the nature of the French, that they cannot tolerate the effort of a long battle, because for the sake of inspiring fear they expend more of their strength at the beginning of a fight, but cannot maintain it thereafter) and were pressing less than usual, then at length he attacked the enemy with might and main, and those who followed him assaulted with such an onslaught that they first budged the enemy from his place, and then drove them headlong. In that battle 5,000 Frenchmen died, together with Buchan (age 43) the Marshal of France and the Scotsman John Stuart (age 44), whom I have shown above to have come in aid of Charles, and more than ten French captains About 200 were captured, including Duke John of Alençon (age 15). On the English side 2,000 died, partly foot and partly horse. This defeat was suffered by the French in the year of human salvation 1424, the third year of Henry’s reign.