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.

[1] Pont-a-Remy, corrupted here into 'bridge of Athyne.'

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 defence 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[2] that 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.

[2] That is, a house of the knights of Saint John.

That night the king of England was lodged at Olsemont. 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 am