Froissart. 1339. When the Friday came in the morning, both hosts apparelled themselves ready, and every lord heard mass among their own companies and divers were shriven.

First we will speak of the order of the Englishmen, who drew them forward into the field and made three battles afoot, and did put all their horses and baggages into a little wood behind them, and fortified it. The first battle led¹ the duke of Gueldres, the marquis of Meissen, the marquis of Brandebourg, sir John of Hainault, the earl of Mons, the earl of Salm, the lord of Fauquemont, sir William of Duvenvoorde, sir Arnold of Baquehem and the Almains; and among them was twenty-two banners and sixty pennons in the whole, and eight thousand men. The second battle had the duke of Brabant and the lords and knights of his country - first the lord of Cuyk, the lord Berg, the lord of Breda, the lord of Rotselaer, the lord of Vorsselaer, the lord of Borgneval, the lord of Schoonvorst, the lord of Witham, the lord of Aerschot, the lord of Gaesbeck, the lord of Duffel, sir Thierry of Walcourt, sir Rasse of Gres, sir John of Kesterbeke, sir John Pyliser, sir Giles of Coterebbe, sir Walter of Huldeberg, the three brethren of Harlebeke, sir Henry of Flanders, and divers other barons and knights of Flanders, who were all under the duke of Brabant's banner, as the lord of Halewyn, the lord of Gruthuse, sir Hector Vilain, sir John of Rhodes, sir Wulfart of Ghistelles, sir William of Straten, sir Gossuin de la Moere, and many other: the duke of Brabant had a twenty-four banners and eighty pennons, and in all a seven thousand men. The third battle and the greatest had the king of England and with him his cousin the earl of Derby (age 29), the bishop of Lincoln (age 47), the bishop of Durham, the earl of Salisbury (age 38), the earl of Northampton (age 29), and of Gloucester (age 48), the earl of Suffolk (age 40), sir Robert d'Artois (age 52), as then called earl of Richmond⁵, the lord Raynold Cobham (age 44), the lord Percy, the lord Ros (age 54), the lord Mowbray (age 28), sir Lewis and sir John Beauchamp, the lord Delaware (age 62), the lord of Langton, the lord Basset, the lord Fitzwalter, sir Walter Manny (age 29), sir Hugh Hastings (age 29), sir John Lisle (age 20), and divers other that I cannot name: among other was sir John Chandos (age 19), of whom much honour is spoken in this book². The king had with him twenty-eight banners and ninety pennons, and in his battle a six thousand men of arms and six thousand archers; and he had set another battle as in a wing, whereof the earl of Warwick (age 25), the earl of Pembroke (age 19), the lord Berkeley (age 43), the lord Multon and divers other were as chief, and they were on horseback³. Thus when every lord was under his banner, as it was commanded by the marshals, the king of England mounted on a palfrey, accompanied all only with sir Robert d'Artois (age 52), sir Raynold Cobham (age 44) and sir Walter of Manny, and rode along before all his battles, and right sweetly desired all his lords and other that they would that day aid to defend his honour. And they all promised him so to do. Then he returned to his own battle and set everything in good order and commanded that none should go before the marshals' banners.

Now let us speak of the lords of France, what they did. They were eleven score banners, four kings, six dukes, twenty-six earls, and more than four thousand knights, and of the commons of France more than sixty thousand. The kings that were there with king Philip of Valois was the king of Bohemia, the king of Navarre, and king David of Scotland: the duke of Normandy, the duke of Bretayne, the duke of Bourbon, the duke of Lorraine and the duke of Athens: 2 of earls, the earl of Alencon (age 42) brother to the king, the earl of Flanders, the earl of Hainault, the earl of Blois, the earl of Bar, the earl of Forez, the earl of Foix, the earl of Armagnac, the earl Dolphin of Auvergne, the earl of Joinville, the earl of Etampes, the earl of Vendome, the earl of Harcourt, the earl of Saint-Pol, the earl of Guines, the earl of Boulogne, the earl of Roucy, the earl of Dammartin, the earl of Valentinois, the earl of Auxerre, the earl of Sancerre, the earl of Geneva, the earl of Dreux; and of Gascoyne and of Languedoc so many earls and viscounts, that it were long to rehearse. It was a great beauty to behold the banners and standards waving in the wind, and horses barded, and knights and squires richly armed. The Frenchmen ordained three great battles, in each of them fifteen thousand men of arms and twenty thousand men afoot.

Note 1. Perhaps a misprint for 'had.' The original is 'eut.'

Note 2. In the later revision the writer says: 'I, Froissart, writer of these chronicles, more than once heard the gentle knight sir John Chandos say that he was made knight by the hand of the king Edward of England on this Friday that the assembly was at Buironfosse; and since that he was more valiant than any other who took arms on the side of the English, I make mention of this here.'

Note 3. The original says: ' So these remained on horseback to support those battles which should waver, and were as a rear-guard.'

Note 4. The name of the duke of Burgundy is omitted.

Note 5. TT. Robert III Artois (age 52) wasn't created Earl Richmond until 1341?

Froissart. Sir Walter Manny, a week after these challenges had been sent, and when he imagined the king of France had received them, collected about forty lances, on whom he knew he could depend, and rode through Brabant night and day; so that he came into Hainault, and entered the wood of Blaton, before any of his followers knew where and why they were thus hastening: he then told some of his intimates, that he had made a promise in England, before the nobles and ladies, that he would be the first that would enter France, and take some castle or strong town, and perform some gallant deed of arms; and that his intention was to push forward as far as Mortaigne, to surprise the town, which was a part of the kingdom of France. Those to whom he thus opened himself cheerfully consented to follow him. They then regirthed their horses, tightened their armour, and rode in close order: having passed through the wood of Blaton, they came at one stretch, a little before sunrise, to Mortaigne, where luckily they found the wicket open. Sir Walter alighted with some of his companions, and having passed the wicket in silence, and placed there a guard, he then with his pennon marched down the street before the great tower, but the gate and the wicket were close shut. The watch of the castle heard their voice, and seeing them from his post, began to Mow his horn, and to cry out "Treason! treason!" This awakened the soldiers and inhabitants, bnt they did not make any sally from the fort. Sir Walter, upon this, retreated handsomely into the street, and ordered those houses to be set on fire that were near the castle: full fifty houses were burnt that morning, and the inhabitants much frightened, at they concluded they must all have been taken prisoners; but sir Walter and his company marched away, and came straight to Condé, where they passed by the pond and river Haynes, taking the' road to Valenciennes; leaving which on the right hand, they came to Avesnes, and took up their quarters in the abbey. They then pushed forward towards Douchain, and managed matters so well with the governor, that the gates of the castle were opened to them: they crossed a river which empties itself into the Scheld, and which rises near Arleux. Afterward they came to a very strong castle, called Thin l'Evêque, that belonged to the bishop of Cambray [Map], which was so suddenly surprised, the governor and his wife were taken in it. Sir Walter placed a strong garrison there, and made his brother, sir Giles Manny, governor, who gave much disturbance to the Cambresians, as this castle was but a short league from the city of Cambray [Map]. When sir Walter had performed these enterprises, he returned into Brabant towards the king, his lord, whom he found at Mechlin [Map], and related to him all that he had done.

Froissart. And when the king had tarried two days at Mons in Hainault, then he went to Valenciennes; and he and twelve with him entered into the town, and no more persons. And thither was come the earl of Hainault and sir John his uncle, and the lord of Fagnolle, the lord of Werchin, the lord of Havreth and divers other, who were about the earl their lord. And the king and the earl went hand in hand to the great hall, which was ready apparelled to receive them; and as they went up the stairs of the hall, the bishop of Lincoln, who was there present, spake out aloud and said: "William bishop of Cambray [Map], I admonish you as procurer to the king of England, vicar of the Empire of Rome, that ye open the gates of the city of Cambray [Map]; and if ye do not, ye shall forfeit your lands and we will enter by force." There was none that answered to that matter, for the bishop was not there present. Then the bishop of Lincoln said again: "Earl of Hainault, we admonish you in the name of the emperor, that ye come and serve the king of England his vicar before the city of Cambray [Map] with such number as ye ought to do." The earl, who was there present, said, 'With a right good will I am ready.' So thus they entered into the hall, and the earl led the king into his chamber, and anon the supper was ready.

And the next day the king departed and went to Haspres, and there tarried two days and suffered all his men to pass forth; and so then went to Cambray [Map] and lodged at Iwuy, and besieged the city of Cambray [Map] round about, and daily his power increased. Thither came the young earl of Hainault in great array, and sir John his uncle, and they lodged near to the king, and the duke of Gueldres and his company, the marquis of Meissen, the earl of Mons, the earl of Salm, the lord of Fauquemont, sir Arnold of Bakehem, with all the other lords of the Empire, such as were allied with the king of England.

And the sixth day after the siege laid thither came the duke of Brabant with a nine hundred spears, beside other, and he lodged toward Ostrevant on the river of I'Escault, and made a bridge over the water to the intent to go from the one host to the other. And as soon as he was come, he sent to defy the French king, who was at Compiegne, whereof Leon of Crainhem, who had always before excused the duke, was so confused, that he would no more return again into Brabant, but died for sorrow in France.

This siege during there were many skirmishes; and sir John of Hainault and the lord of Fauquemont rode ever lightly together, and brent and wasted sore the country of Cambresis. And on a day these lords, with the number of five hundred spears and a thousand of other men of war, came to the castle of Oisy in Cambresis, pertaining to the lord of Coucy, and made there a great assault: but they within did defend them so valiantly, that they had no damage; and so the said lords returned to their lodgings.

The earl of Hainault and his company on a Saturday came to the gate toward Saint-Quentin's, and made there a great assault. There was John Chandos, who was then but a squire, of whose prowess this book speaketh much, he cast himself between the barriers and the gate, and fought valiantly with a squire of Vermandois called John of Saint-Disier: there was goodly feats of arms done between them. And so the Hainowes conquered by force the bails, and there was entered the earl of Hainault and his marshals, sir Gerard of Werchin, sir Henry d'Antoing and other, who adventured them valiantly to advance their honour. And at another gate, called the gate Robert, was the lord Beaumont and the lord of Fauquemont, the lord d'Enghien, sir Walter of Manny, and their companies, made there a sore and a hard assault. But they of Cambray [Map] and the soldiers set there by the French king defended themselves and the city so valiantly, that the assaulters won nothing, but so returned right weary and well beaten to their lodgings. The young earl of Namur came thither to serve the young earl of Hainault by desire, and he said he would be on their part as long as they were in the Empire, but as soon as they entered into the realm of France, he said, he would forsake them and go and serve the French king, who had retained him. And in likewise so was the intent of the earl of Hainault, for he had commanded all his men on pain of death, that none of them should do anything within the realm of France.

In this season, while the king of England lay at siege before Cambray [Map] with forty thousand men of arms, and greatly constrained them by assaults, king Philip made his summons at Peronne in Verman-dois. And the king of England counselled with sir Robert d'Artois, in whom he had great affiance, demanding of him whether it were better for him to enter into the realm of France and to encounter his adversary, or else to abide still before Cambray, till he had won it by force. The lords of England and such other of his council saw well how the city was strong and well furnished of men of war and victuals and artillery, and that it should be long to abide there till they had won the city, whereof they were in no certainty; and also they saw well how that winter approached near, and as yet had done no manner of enterprise, but lay at great expense. Theri they counselled the king to set forward into the realm, whereas they might find more plenty of forage. This counsel was taken, and all the lords ordained to dislodge, and trussed tents and pavilions and all manner of harness, and so departed and rode toward Mount Saint-Martin, the which was at the entry of France. Thus they rode in good order, every lord among his own men; marshals of the English host were the earl of Northampton and Gloucester and the earl of Suffolk, and constable of England was the earl of Warwick. And so they passed there the river of I'Escault at their ease.

And when the earl of Hainault had accompanied the king unto the departing out of the Empire, and that he should pass the river and enter into the realm of France, then he took leave of the king and said how he would ride no further with him at that time, for king Philip his uncle had sent for him, and he would not have his evil will, but that he would go and serve him in France, as he had served the king of England in the Empire. So thus the earl of Hainault and the earl of Namur and their companies rode back to Quesnoy. And the earl of Hainault gave the most part of his company leave to depart, desiring them to be ready when he [should] send for them, for he said that shortly after he would go to king Philip his uncle.