The duke of York began his march about the middle of July, and in a few days, came near to Pontoise, the lord Talbot commanding the vanguard of three thousand men. The duke fixed his quarters at Cheuery[94], half a league from Pontoise; and the van were lodged at Hetonville[95] where they remained for three days and reinforced and revictualled Pontoise most abundantly. When this was done, the duke sent to tell the king, that he was come to offer him and his army combat, if he would give him an opportunity. But the king was not inclined to comply; for his council had repeated the advice they had given on other occasions, that he would act imprudently to risk his army and person against men of such low degree,--adding, that the battles that had formerly taken place with the English during his reign had cost him too dearly, and that it was more advisable to let them for this time run their career and guard the fords of the river, for that the English could not long remain where they were without danger from want of provisions for so large a force. This resolution was adopted,--and many captains, with their men, were detached along the river Oise, even farther than Beaumont[96] and the king and the rest of his army remained in their quarters. The English, finding they would not hazard a battle, resolved, if possible, to cross the Oise and advance into the isle of France, and even attack the king's quarters. They decamped therefore on the fourth day from their arrival, and marched in a body to Chanville-haut-Vergier[97]; but as they heard that all the passes on the river were guarded, they determined to execute their plan by night, and they had with them on carts small boats of leather and wood, with cords and other necessaries. They ordered a large detachment to advance to Beaumont, under pretence of their crossing the river and to make a prodigious noise, that the guards at the other passes might be, drawn off to resist their attempt at Beaumont, while the remainder of the army should proceed silently along the river to find out a proper place to cross. A place was found according to their wish, opposite to the abbey of Beaumont, whence the guards had gone; for all the soldiers near were attracted by the noise at Beaumont, as it had been planned by the English, who, when they saw numbers had been collected, pretended to make an attempt to force a passage, which was quite impracticable should any tolerable defence be made. The other party of English now launched a boat into the river, and with difficulty three or four passed over, when, having fastened two strong cords to each bank with staves of wood between them, from forty to fifty crossed by this means, and instantly fortified themselves with sharpened palisades, as was their usual custom.