The boy's Froissart : $b being Sir John Froissart's Chronicles of adventures, battle, and custom in England, France, Spain, etc.Froissart, Jean
History
The boy's Froissart : $b being Sir John Froissart's Chronicles of adventures, battle, and custom in England, France, Spain, etc.
Froissart, Jean
France -- History -- House of Valois, 1328-1589; Great Britain -- History -- 14th century; Hundred Years' War, 1339-1453
It is a certain fact, that Sir Godfrey de Harcourt, who was in the
prince’s battalion, having been told by some of the English that they
had seen the banner of his brother engaged in the battle against him,
was exceedingly anxious to save him; but he was too late, for he was
left dead on the field, and so was the Earl of Aumarle, his nephew. On
the other hand, the Earls of Alençon and of Flanders were fighting
lustily under their banners, and with their own people; but they could
not resist the force of the English, and were there slain, as well as
many other knights and squires that were attending on or accompanying
them. The Earl of Blois, nephew to the King of France, and the Duke of
Lorraine, his brother-in-law, with their troops, made a gallant defence;
but they were surrounded by a troop of English and Welsh, and slain in
spite of their prowess. The Earl of St. Pol and the Earl of Auxerre were
also killed, as well as many others. Late after vespers, the King of
France had not more about him than sixty men, every one included. Sir
John of Hainault, who was of the number, had once remounted the king,
for his horse had been killed under him by an arrow: he said to the
king, “Sir, retreat while you have an opportunity, and do not expose
yourself so simply: if you have lost this battle, another time you will
be the conqueror.” After he had said this, he took the bridle of the
king’s horse, and led him off by force, for he had before entreated of
him to retire. The king rode on until he came to the castle of La
Broyes, where he found the gates shut, for it was very dark. The king
ordered the governor of it to be summoned: he came upon the battlements,
and asked who it was that called at such an hour. The king answered,
“Open, open, governor: it is the fortune of France.” The governor,
hearing the king’s voice, immediately descended, opened the gate, and
let down the bridge. The king and his company entered the castle; but he
had only with him five barons,--Sir John of Hainault, the Lord Charles
of Montmorency, the Lord of Beaujeu, the Lord of Aubigny, and the Lord
of Montfort. The king would not bury himself in such a place as that,
but, having taken some refreshments, set out again with his attendants
about midnight, and rode on under the direction of guides who were well
acquainted with the country, until about daybreak he came to Amiens,
where he halted. This Saturday the English never quitted their ranks in
pursuit of any one, but remained on the field, guarding their position,
and defending themselves against all who attacked them. The battle was
ended at the hour of vespers.
[There can be no better opportunity than this celebrated chapter
affords to show the young reader how Froissart’s Chronicles looked,
both in their first English guise, and in the original old French.
It is, therefore, repeated here in both versions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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