was there. The same day the French King
departed from Amiens and came to Airaines about noon; and the
Englishmen were departed thence in the morning. The Frenchmen found
there great provision that the Englishmen had left behind them,
because they departed in haste. There they found flesh ready on the
broaches, bread and pasties in the ovens, wine in tuns and barrels,
and the tables ready laid. There the French King lodged and tarried
for his lords.

That night the King of England was lodged at Oisemont. At night when
the two marshals were returned, who had that day overrun the country
to the gates of Abbeville and to Saint-Valery and made a great
skirmish there, then the King assembled together his council and made
to be brought before him certain prisoners of the country of Ponthieu
and of Vimeu. The King right courteously demanded of them if there
were any among them that knew any passage beneath Abbeville, that he
and his host might pass over the river of Somme: if he would shew him
thereof, he should be quit of his ransom, and twenty of his company
for his love. There was a varlet called Gobin Agace, who stepped forth
and said to the King:--"Sir, I promise you on the jeopardy of my head
I shall bring you to such a place, whereas ye and all your host shall
pass the river of Somme without peril. There be certain places in the
passage that ye shall pass twelve men afront two times between day and
night; ye shall not go in the water to the knees. But when the flood
cometh, the river then waxeth so great that no man can pass; but when
the flood is gone, the which is two times between day and night, then
the river is so low that it may be passed without danger both
a-horseback and afoot. The passage is hard in the bottom, with white
stones, so that all your carriage may go surely; therefore the passage
is called Blanche-Taque. An ye make ready to depart betimes, ye may be
there by the sun-rising." The King said, "If this be true that ye
say, I quit thee thy ransom and all thy company, and moreover shall
give thee a hundred nobles." Then the King commanded every man to be
ready at the sound of the trumpet to depart.

[C] That is, a house of the Knights of St. John.

OF THE BATTLE OF BLANCHE-TAQUE

The King of England slept not much that night, for at midnight he
arose and sowned his trumpet; then incontinent they made ready
carriages and all things, and at the breaking of the day they departed
from the town of O