They then set up a second shout and advanced a little forward,
but the English never moved.
They hooted a third time, advancing with their cross-bows presented and
began to shoot. The English archers then advanced one step forward and
shot their arrows with such force and quickness that it seemed as if it
snowed. When the Genoese felt these arrows, which pierced their arms,
heads, and through their armor, some of them cut the strings of their
cross-bows; others flung them on the ground and all turned about and
retreated quite discomfited. The French had a large body of men-at-arms
on horseback, richly dressed, to support the Genoese. The King of France
seeing them thus fall back cried out, "Kill me those scoundrels, for
they stop up our road without any reason." You would then have seen the
above-mentioned men-at-arms lay about them, killing all they could of
these runaways.
The English continued shooting as vigorously and quickly as before; some
of their arrows fell among the horsemen, who were sumptuously equipped,
and, killing and wounding many, made them caper and fall among the
Genoese, so that they were in such confusion they could never rally
again. In the English army there were some Cornish and Welshmen on foot
who had armed themselves with large knives. These, advancing through the
ranks of the men-at-arms and archers, who made way for them, came upon
the French when they were in this danger, and, falling upon earls,
barons, knights, and squires, slew many; at which the King of England
was afterward much exasperated. The valiant King of Bohemia was slain
there. He was called Charles of Luxembourg, for he was the son of the
gallant king and emperor Henry of Luxembourg. Having heard the order of
the battle, he inquired where his son, Lord Charles, was. His attendants
answered that they did not know, but believed he was fighting. The King
said to them: "Gentlemen, you are all my people, my friends and
brethren-at-arms this day; therefore, as I am blind,[49] I request of
you to lead me so far into the engagement that I may strike one stroke
with my sword." The knights replied that they would directly lead him
forward, and, in order that they might not lose him in the crowd, they
fastened all the reins of their horses together and put the King at
their head, that he might gratify his wish and advance toward the enemy.
Lord Charles of Bohemia--who already signed his name as King of Germany
and bore the arms--had come in good order to the engagement, but when he
perceived that it was likely to turn out against the French he departed.
The King, his father, had rode in among the enemy, and made good use of
his sword, for he and his companions had fought most gallantly. They had
advanced so far that they were all slain, and on the morrow they were
found on the ground, with their horses all tied together.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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