The King of France set out from Amiens, and came to Airaines about noon: the English king had quitted it about ten o’clock. The French found there provisions of all sorts; meat on the spits, bread and pastry in the ovens, wine in barrels, and even some tables ready spread, for the English had left it in very great haste. The King of France fixed his quarters there, to wait for his nobles and their retinue. The King of England was in the town of Oisemont. When his two marshals returned in the evening, after having overrun the country as far as the gates of Abbeville, and St. Valery, where they had a smart skirmish, the King of England summoned a council, and ordered many prisoners, whom his people had made in the districts of Ponthieu and Vimeu, to be brought before him. The king most courteously asked if any of them knew a ford below Abbeville, where he and his army could pass without danger; and added, “Whoever will show us such a ford shall have his liberty, and that of any twenty of his fellow-soldiers whom he may wish to select.” There was among them a common fellow whose name was Gobin Agace, who answered the king, and said, “Sir, I promise you, under peril of my life, that I will conduct you to such a place, where you and your whole army may pass the river Somme without any risk. There are certain fordable places where you may pass twelve men abreast twice in the day, and not have water above your knees; but, when the tide is in, the river is full and deep, and no one can cross it: when the tide is out, the river is so low that it may be passed on horseback or on foot without danger. The bottom of this ford is very hard, of gravel and white stones, over which all your carriages may safely pass, and from thence is called Blanchetaque. You must therefore set out early, so as to be at the ford before sunrise.”--“Friend,” replied the king, “if I find what thou hast just said to be true, I will give thee and all thy companions their liberty; and I will besides make thee a present of a hundred nobles.” The king gave orders for every one to be ready to march at the first sound of his trumpet, and to proceed forward. CHAPTER LII. THE BATTLE OF BLANCHETAQUE, BETWEEN THE KING OF ENGLAND AND SIR GODÉMAR DU FAY.