The King of England did not sleep much that night, but, rising at midnight, ordered his trumpet to sound. Very soon every thing was ready; and, the baggage being loaded, they set out from the town of Oisemont about daybreak, and rode on, under the guidance of Gobin Agace, until they came to the ford of Blanchetaque about sunrise; but the tide was at that time so full, they could not cross. The king, however, determined to wait there for those of his army who were not yet come up; and he remained until after ten o’clock, when the tide was gone out. The King of France, who had his scouts all over the country, was informed of the situation of the King of England: he imagined he should be able to shut him up between Abbeville and the Somme, and then take him prisoner, or force him to fight at a disadvantage. From the time of his arrival at Amiens, he had ordered a great baron of Normandy, called Sir Godémar du Fay, to guard this ford of Blanchetaque, at which the English must cross and nowhere else. Sir Godémar had set out, in obedience to this order, and had with him altogether one thousand men at arms and six thousand foot, with the Genoese. He had passed St. Ricquier in Ponthieu, and from there came to Crotoy, where this ford was. He had collected in his march great numbers of the country-people. The townsmen of Abbeville had also accompanied him, excellently well appointed: they had arrived at the passage before the English. They were in all fully twelve thousand men. Among them were two thousand who had jackets resembling wagoners’ frocks, called _torriquiaux_. On the arrival of the English army, Sir Godémar du Fay drew up his men on the banks of the river to defend the ford. The King of England, however, did not for this give up his intention of crossing; but, as soon as the tide was sufficiently gone out, he ordered his marshals to dash into the water, in the name of God and St. George. The most doughty and the best-mounted leaped in first, and in the river the engagement began: many on both sides were unhorsed into the water. There were some knights and squires from Artois and Picardy, in the pay of Sir Godémar, who, in hope of preferment and to acquire honor, had posted themselves at this ford; and they appeared to be equally fond of tilting in the water as on dry land.