When the King of England was informed of this, and knew that the day was for a certainty fixed, he set out from England with three hundred men at arms and six hundred archers. He embarked at Dover, and came so privately to Calais, that no one knew of his being there. He placed his men in ambuscade in the rooms and towers of the castle, and said to Sir Walter Manny, “Sir Walter, I will that you be the chief of this enterprise; and I and my son will fight under your banner.” Sir Geoffry de Chargny had left St. Omer the latter end of December, with all the forces he had collected; and arrived near to Calais about midnight, the last day of the month. He halted there for his rear to come up, and sent forward two of his squires, who found Sir Aymery waiting for them. They asked if it were time for Sir Geoffry to advance: the Lombard answered that it was. The two squires upon this returned to Sir Geoffry, who marched his men in battle-array over the bridge of Nieullet. He then sent forward twelve of his knights, with one hundred men at arms, to take possession of the castle of Calais; for he thought, if he had possession of the castle, he should soon be master of the town, considering what strength he had with him; and in a few days time he could have as much more, should there be occasion. He gave orders for twenty thousand crowns to be delivered to Sir Odoart de Renty, who was in this expedition, for him to pay to the Lombard; and Sir Geoffry remained in the plain in silence, his banner displayed before him, with the rest of his army; for his intention was to enter the town by one of its gates, otherwise he would not enter it at all.