one camp to another, according as he found himself
upon the domains of one or the other of his suzerains in a war one
against the other. Edward continued his march towards St. Quentin, where
Philip had at last arrived with his allies, the Kings of Bohemia,
Navarre, and Scotland, "after delays which had given rise to great
scandal and murmurs throughout the whole kingdom." The two armies, with
a strength, according to Froissart, of a hundred thousand men on the
French side, and forty-four thousand on the English, were soon facing one
another, near Buironfosse, a large burgh of Picardy. A herald came from
the English camp to tell the King of France that the King of England
"demanded of him battle. To which demand," says Froissart, "the King of
France gave willing assent, and accepted the day, which was fixed at
first for Thursday the 21st, and afterwards for Saturday the 25th of
October, 1339." To judge from the somewhat tangled accounts of the
chroniclers and of Froissart himself, neither of the two kings was very
anxious to come to blows. The forces of Edward were much inferior to
those of Philip; and the former had accordingly taken up, as it appears,
a position which rendered attack difficult for Philip. There was much
division of opinion in the French camp. Independently of military
grounds, a great deal was said about certain letters from Robert, King of
Naples, "a mighty necromancer and full of mighty wisdom, it was reported,
who, after having several times cast their horoscopes, had discovered by
astrology and from experience, that, if his cousin, the King of France,
were to fight the King of England, the former would be worsted." "In
thus disputing and debating," says Froissart, "the time passed till full
midday. A little afterwards a hare came leaping across the fields, and
rushed amongst the French. Those who saw it began shouting and making a
great halloo. Those who were behind thought that those who were in front
were engaging in battle; and several put on their helmets and gripped
their swords. Thereupon several knights were made; and the Count of
Hainault himself made fourteen, who were thenceforth nicknamed Knights of
the Hare." Whatever his motive may have been, Philip did not attack; and
Edward promptly began a retreat. They both dismissed their allies; and
during the early days of. November, Philip fell back upon St. Quentin,
and Edward went and took up his winter quarters at Brussels.