The Constable of France, on the opposite side of the water, saw his men at arms, with banners and pennons fluttering in the wind, drawn up in a handsome small battalion, and marching toward Commines. On seeing this his blood began to run cold from the great dread he had of their being defeated; for he knew the Flemings were in great force on that side of the water. In the excess of rage he cried out, “Ah, St. Ives! ha, St. George! ha, Our Lady! what do I see there? I see in part the flower of our army, who are most unequally matched. I would rather have died than have witnessed this. Ah! Sir Louis de Sancerre, I thought you more temperate and better taught than I see you now are: how could you have hazarded so many noble knights and squires and men at arms against ten or twelve thousand men, who are proud, presumptuous, and well prepared, and who will show them no mercy, while we are unable, if there should be a necessity, to aid them? Ah, Rohan! ah, Laval! ah, Rieux! ah, Beaumanoir! ah, Longueville! ah, Rochfort! ah, Manny! ah, Malatrait! ah, Conversant! ah, such a one and such a one!--how afflicted am I for you all, when, without consulting me, you have run into such imminent danger! Why am I Constable of France? for if you be conquered I shall incur all the blame, and they will say I ordered you on this mad enterprise.” The constable, before he heard that such numbers of valiant men had crossed, had forbidden any of those near him to pass the river; but, when he saw the appearance of those who had passed, he said aloud, “I give free liberty for all who wish it to cross, if they be able.” At these words the knights and squires stepped forth, seeking means to cross the bridge; but it was soon night, and they were forced to leave off their attempt, though they had begun to lay planks on the beams, and even some had placed their targets to make a road: so that the Flemings who were in Commines had enough to do to watch them, and were puzzled how to act, for on the one hand they saw below the bridge, in the marshes, a large body of men at arms who had halted with their lances advanced before them, and to whom great re-enforcements were coming, and, on the other, those of the vanguard on the opposite side of the bridge were constantly skirmishing with them, and exerting themselves lustily to repair the bridge.