Intelligence of these preparations of the duke of Burgundy was carried to king Henry of England and his council, who were not well pleased thereat; for they were sensible of the great advantage of Crotoy to facilitate their landing a force in Picardy. It was therefore resolved to provide a speedy remedy against them; and letters were instantly dispatched to the governor of Rouen, ordering him to collect as large a body of men at arms as he could in Normandy, and to march to the relief of Crotoy. This order was immediately published, and four thousand combatants, as well horse as infantry, speedily assembled, under the command of lord Talbot, lord Faulconbridge, sir Thomas Kiriel and others. They advanced to the abbey of St Valery, where they quartered themselves, having brought provision with them. While this army was collecting, the duke of Burgundy, having had information of the intentions of the English, had previously summoned from Picardy and his other dominions the greater part of his nobility and men at arms, who might amount to eight hundred or a thousand fighting men. They marched from Hêdin, and had arrived at Abbeville the day before the English came to the abbey of St Valery. The duke of Burgundy was attended on this expedition by the count d'Estampes, his nephew of Cleves, the count de St Pol, and other nobles. Sir John de Luxembourg had also, in obedience to his summons, joined him at Hêdin,--but he excused himself to the duke for not bearing arms, because he had not then sent back his oath of alliance with the English, and could not therefore with honour then take part against them: but this excuse, as I was informed, was not well received by the duke of Burgundy, who remonstrated with him on the occasion,--how he was bound by his oath to serve him, as his vassal; that he wore his order, and had always been attached to his party; for all these reasons, therefore, he could not honourably refuse to serve him, more especially as it was to repulse his enemies, who had invaded several parts of his dominions. Notwithstanding the duke's arguments, sir John de Luxembourg returned home with his permission, and obtained from the duke letters of remission to this effect. When the duke, on his arrival at Abbeville, was assured of the coming of the English, he reinforced that town with all sorts of stores and provision, and there might be with him from eight hundred to a thousand expert and well tried men at arms. When the duke asked them if they thought they could hold out the place against the enemy, they replied, that they had no doubt of so doing. The duke determined not to make any engagement of fighting the English on an appointed day, and to avoid a general action; to guard all the defiles and fords, and to attack them in their quarters, or wherever they should meet them to their disadvantage, and to endeavour to cut off their supplies. These plans were not, however, carried into execution.