the English
word "arson": the king's command being not to burn the towns
on the Somme, as he wanted them for shelter.

HOW THE FRENCH KING FOLLOWED THE KING OF ENGLAND IN BEAUVOISINOIS

Now let us speak of King Philip, who was at Saint-Denis and his people
about him, and daily increased. Then on a day he departed and rode so
long that he came to Coppegueule, a three leagues from Amiens, and
there he tarried. The King of England, being at Airaines, wist not
where for to pass the river of Somme, the which was large and deep,
and all bridges were broken and the passages well kept. Then at the
King's commandment his two marshals with a thousand men of arms and
two thousand archers went along the river to find some passage, and
passed by Longpre, and came to the bridge of Remy, the which was well
kept with a great number of knights and squires and men of the
country. The Englishmen alighted afoot and assailed the Frenchmen from
the morning till it was noon; but the bridge was so well fortified and
defended that the Englishmen departed without winning of anything.
Then they went to a great town called Fountains, on the river of
Somme, the which was clean robbed and brent, for it was not closed.
Then they went to another town called Long-en-Ponthieu; they could not
win the bridge, it was so well kept and defended. Then they departed
and went to Picquigny, and found the town, the bridge, and the castle
so well fortified that it was not likely to pass there; the French
King had so well defended the passages, to the intent that the King of
England should not pass the river of Somme, to fight with him at his
advantage or else to famish him there.

When these two marshals had assayed in all places to find passage and
could find none, they returned again to the King, and shewed how they
could find no passage in no place. The same night the French King came
to Amiens with more than a hundred thousand men. The King of England
was right pensive, and the next morning heard mass before the
sun-rising and then dislodged; and every man followed the marshals'
banners, and so rode in the country of Vimeu approaching to the good
town of Abbeville, and found a town thereby, whereunto was come much
people of the country in trust of a little defense that was there; but
the Englishmen anon won it, and all they that were within slain, and
many taken of the town and of the country. The King took his lodging
in a great hospital[C] that