Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 15

Literature -- Collections

Thus by the Englishmen was brent, exiled, robbed, wasted, and pilled
the good plentiful country of Normandy. Then the French King sent for
the Lord John of Hainault, who came to him with a great number; also
the King sent for other men of arms, dukes, earls, barons, knights,
and squires, and assembled together the greatest number of people that
had been seen in France a hundred year before. He sent for men into so
far countries, that it was long or they came together, wherefore the
King of England did what him list in the mean season. The French King
heard well what he did, and sware and said how they should never
return again unfought withal, and that such hurts and damages as they
had done should be dearly revenged; wherefore he had sent letters to
his friends in the Empire, to such as were farthest off, and also to
the gentle King of Bohemia and to the Lord Charles his son, who from
thenceforth was called King of Almaine; he was made King by the aid of
his father and the French King, and had taken on him the arms of the
Empire: the French King desired them to come to him with all their
powers, to the intent to fight with the King of England, who brent and
wasted his country. These Princes and Lords made them ready with great
number of men of arms, of Almains, Bohemians, and Luxemburgers, and so
came to the French King. Also King Philip sent to the Duke of
Lorraine, who came to serve him with three hundred spears; also there
came the Earl [of] Salm in Saumois, the Earl of Sarrebruck, the Earl
of Flanders, the Earl William of Namur, every man with a fair company.

Ye have heard herebefore of the order of the Englishmen; how they went
in three battles, the marshals on the right hand and on the left, the
King and the Prince of Wales his son in the midst. They rode but small
journeys, and every day took their lodgings between noon and three of
the clock, and found the country so fruitful that they needed not to
make no provision for their host, but all only for wine; and yet they
found reasonably sufficient thereof. It was no marvel, though, they of
the country were afraid; for before that time they had never seen men
of war, nor they wist not what war or battle meant. They fled away as
far as they might hear speaking of the Englishmen, and left their
houses well stuffed, and granges full of corn; they wist not how to
save and keep it. The King of England and the Prince had in their
battle a three thousand men of arms and six thousand archers, and a
ten thousand men afoot, beside them that rode with the marshals....

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

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Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 15

Literature -- Collections

Thus by the Englishmen was brent, exiled, robbed, wasted, and pilled
the good plentiful country of Normandy. Then the French King sent for
the Lord John of Hainault, who came to him with a great number; also
the King sent for other men of arms, dukes, earls, barons, knights,
and squires, and assembled together the greatest number of people that
had been seen in France a hundred year before. He sent for men into so
far countries, that it was long or they came together, wherefore the
King of England did what him list in the mean season. The French King
heard well what he did, and sware and said how they should never
return again unfought withal, and that such hurts and damages as they
had done should be dearly revenged; wherefore he had sent letters to
his friends in the Empire, to such as were farthest off, and also to
the gentle King of Bohemia and to the Lord Charles his son, who from
thenceforth was called King of Almaine; he was made King by the aid of
his father and the French King, and had taken on him the arms of the
Empire: the French King desired them to come to him with all their
powers, to the intent to fight with the King of England, who brent and
wasted his country. These Princes and Lords made them ready with great
number of men of arms, of Almains, Bohemians, and Luxemburgers, and so
came to the French King. Also King Philip sent to the Duke of
Lorraine, who came to serve him with three hundred spears; also there
came the Earl [of] Salm in Saumois, the Earl of Sarrebruck, the Earl
of Flanders, the Earl William of Namur, every man with a fair company.

Ye have heard herebefore of the order of the Englishmen; how they went
in three battles, the marshals on the right hand and on the left, the
King and the Prince of Wales his son in the midst. They rode but small
journeys, and every day took their lodgings between noon and three of
the clock, and found the country so fruitful that they needed not to
make no provision for their host, but all only for wine; and yet they
found reasonably sufficient thereof. It was no marvel, though, they of
the country were afraid; for before that time they had never seen men
of war, nor they wist not what war or battle meant. They fled away as
far as they might hear speaking of the Englishmen, and left their
houses well stuffed, and granges full of corn; they wist not how to
save and keep it. The King of England and the Prince had in their
battle a three thousand men of arms and six thousand archers, and a
ten thousand men afoot, beside them that rode with the marshals....

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 15

Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 15

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