The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol. I., Part B.: From Henry III. to Richard III. — David Hume — John Shaqi
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol. I., Part B.: From Henry III. to Richard III.
David Hume · en
celerity, made from this danger! The rising of the tide prevented the
French king from following him over the ford, and obliged that prince
to take his route over the bridge at Abbeville; by which some time was
lost.
* Froissard, liv, i. chap. 125.
** Froissard, liv. i. chap. 126,127
*** Froissard, liv. i. chap. 127.
It is natural to think that Philip, at the head of so vast an army, was
impatient to take revenge on the English, and to prevent the disgrace to
which he must be exposed if an inferior enemy should be allowed, after
ravaging so great a part of his kingdom, to escape with impunity. Edward
also was sensible that such must be the object of the French monarch;
and as he had advanced but a little way before his enemy, he saw the
danger of precipitating his march over the plains of Picardy, and of
exposing his rear to the insults of the numerous cavalry in which the
French camp abounded. He took, therefore, a prudent resolution: he chose
his ground with advantage near the village of Crecy; he disposed his
army in excellent older; he determined to await in tranquillity the
arrival of the enemy; and he hoped that their eagerness to engage, and
to prevent his retreat, after all their past disappointments would hurry
them on to some rash and ill-concerted action. He drew up his army on
a gentle ascent, and divided them into three lines: the first was
commanded by the prince of Wales, and under him by the earls of Warwick
and Oxford, by Harcourt, and by the lords Chandos, Holland, and
other noblemen: the earls of Arundel and Northampton, with the lords
Willoughby, Basset, Roos, and Sir Lewis Tufton, were at the head of the
second line: he took to himself the command of the third division, by
which he purposed either to bring succor to the two first lines, or to
secure a retreat in case of any misfortune, or to push his advantages
against the enemy. He had likewise the precaution to throw up trenches
on his flanks, in order to secure himself from the numerous bodies of
the French who might assail him from that quarter; and he placed all
his baggage behind him in a wood, which he also secured by an
intrenchment.[*]
* Froissard, liv. i. chap. 128.