The King of England and Prince of Wales had in their battalion about three thousand men at arms, six thousand archers, ten thousand infantry, without counting those that were under the marshals; and they marched on in the manner I have before mentioned, burning and destroying the country, but without breaking their line of battle. They did not turn toward Coutances, but advanced to St. Lô in Coutantin, which in those days was a very rich and commercial town, and worth three such towns as Coutances. In the town of St. Lô was much drapery, and many wealthy inhabitants; among them you might count eight or nine score that were engaged in commerce. When the King of England was come near to the town, he encamped: he would not lodge in it for fear of fire. He sent, therefore, his advanced guard forward, who soon conquered it at a trifling loss, and completely plundered it. No one can imagine the quantity of riches they found in it, nor the number of bales of cloth. If there had been any purchasers, they might have bought enough at a very cheap rate. The English then advanced toward Caen, which is a much larger town, stronger, and fuller of draperies and all other sorts of merchandise, rich citizens, noble dames and damsels, and fine churches. In particular, there are two very rich monasteries, one dedicated to St. Stephen, and the other to the Trinity. The castle is situated on one side of the town: it is the handsomest in all Normandy; and Sir Robert de Blargny was governor, with a garrison of three hundred Genoese. In the heart of the town were the Earl of Eu and of Guignes, the Constable of France, and the Earl of Tancarville, with a crowd of men at arms. The king rode on very prudently, and, having united his three battalions, he took up his quarters for that night in the fields, two short leagues from Caen, near a town called Estreham, where there is a haven. He ordered the Earl of Huntington, whom he had made admiral of his fleet, to sail for that place. The Constable of France, and the other lords who were assembled in Caen, watched it well that night; and on the morrow they armed themselves and all the inhabitants. After they were drawn out, the constable and the Earl of Tancarville ordered that no one should leave the town, but should guard well the bridge, the gates, and the river. They gave up the suburbs to the English, because they were not enclosed; and they thought they should find sufficient employment to guard the town, which was only defended by the river. The townsmen, however, said they would march out into the plains, as they were in sufficient force to fight with the English. When the constable perceived their willingness, he said, “It shall be so, then; but, in God’s name, you shall not fight without me.” They then marched out of the town in handsome order, and made a show as if they would fight valiantly, and risk their lives upon the event. CHAPTER XLIX. THE BATTLE OF CAEN.--THE ENGLISH TAKE THE TOWN.