on both parts; but finally the
burgesses were taken and nigh all slain, and the Englishmen took all
their carriages and harness. They were well stuffed, for they were
going to the French king well appointed, because they had not seen him
a great season before. There were slain in the field a twelve hundred.

[2] A better reading is 'twelve.'

Then the king of England entered into the country of Beauvoisis,
brenning and exiling the plain country, and lodged at a fair abbey and
a rich called Saint-Messien[3] near to Beauvais: there the king
tarried a night and in the morning departed. And when he was on his
way he looked behind him and saw the abbey a-fire: he caused
incontinent twenty of them to be hanged that set the fire there, for
he had commanded before on pain of death none to violate any church
nor to bren any abbey. Then the king passed by the city of Beauvais
without any assault giving, for because he would not trouble his
people nor waste his artillery. And so that day he took his lodging
betime in a little town called Milly. The two marshals came so near to
Beauvais, that they made assault and skirmish at the barriers in three
places, the which assault endured a long space; but the town within
was so well defended by the means of the bishop, who was there within,
that finally the Englishmen departed, and brent clean hard to the
gates all the suburbs, and then at night they came into the king's
field.

[3] Commonly called Saint-Lucien, but Saint Maximianus (Messien)
is also associated with the place.

The next day the king departed, brenning and wasting all before him,
and at night lodged in a good village called Grandvilliers. The next
day the king passed by Dargies: there was none to defend the castle,
wherefore it was soon taken and brent. Then they went forth destroying
the country all about, and so came to the castle of Poix, where there
was a good town and two castles. There was nobody in them but two fair
damosels, daughters to the lord of Poix; they were soon taken, and had
been violated, an two English knights had not been, sir John Chandos
and sir Basset; they defended them and brought them to the king, who
for his honour made them good cheer and demanded of them whither they
would fainest go. They said, 'To Corbie,' and the king caused them to
be brought thither without peril. That night the king lodged in the
town of Poix. They of the town and of the castles spake that night
w