inault came on them that were behind,
and took certain horses and carriages and slew divers, or they could
take the passage.

The French King the same morning was departed from Airaines, trusting
to have found the Englishmen between him and the river of Somme; but
when he heard how that Sir Godemar du Fay and his company were
discomfited, he tarried in the field and demanded of his marshals what
was best to do. They said, "Sir, ye cannot pass the river but at the
bridge of Abbeville, for the flood is come in at Blanche-Taque;" then
he returned and lodged at Abbeville.

The King of England, when he was past the river, he thanked God, and
so rode forth in like manner as he did before. Then he called Gobin
Agace and did quit him his ransom and all his company, and gave him a
hundred nobles and a good horse. And so the King rode forth fair and
easily, and thought to have lodged in a great town called Noyelles;
but when he knew that the town pertained to the Countess d'Aumale,
sister to the Lord Robert of Artois,[D] the King assured the town and
country as much as pertained to her, and so went forth: and his
marshals rode to Crotoy on the seaside and brent the town, and found
in the haven many ships and barks charged with wines of Poitou,
pertaining to the merchants of Saintonge and of Rochelle; they brought
the best thereof to the King's host. Then one of the marshals rode to
the gates of Abbeville and from thence to Saint-Riquiers, and after to
the town of Rue-Saint-Esprit. This was on a Friday, and both battles
of the marshals returned to the King's host about noon and so lodged
all together near to Cressy in Ponthieu.

The King of England was well informed how the French King followed
after him to fight. Then he said to his company, "Let us take here
some plot of ground, for we will go no farther till we have seen our
enemies. I have good cause here to abide them, for I am on the right
heritage of the Queen my mother, the which land was given at her
marriage: I will challenge it of mine adversary Philip of Valois." And
because that he had not the eighth part in number of men as the French
King had, therefore he commanded his marshals to chose a plot of
ground somewhat for his advantage; and so they did, and thither the
King and his host went. Then he sent his currours to Abbeville, to see
if the French King drew that day into the field or not. They went
forth and returned again, and said how they could see none appear