at it should be so done. Then his two
marshals one rode before, another behind, saying to every banner:
'Tarry and abide here in the name of God and Saint Denis.' They that
were foremost tarried, but they that were behind would not tarry, but
rode forth, and said how they would in no wise abide till they were as
far forward as the foremost: and when they before saw them come on
behind, then they rode forward again, so that the king nor his
marshals could not rule them. So they rode without order or good
array, till they came in sight of their enemies: and as soon as the
foremost saw them, they reculed then aback without good array, whereof
they behind had marvel and were abashed, and thought that the foremost
company had been fighting. Then they might have had leisure and room
to have gone forward, if they had list: some went forth and some abode
still. The commons, of whom all the ways between Abbeville and Cressy
were full, when they saw that they were near to their enemies, they
took their swords and cried: 'Down with them! let us slay them all.'
There is no man, though he were present at the journey, that could
imagine or shew the truth of the evil order that was among the French
party, and yet they were a marvellous great number. That I write in
this book I learned it specially of the Englishmen, who well beheld
their dealing; and also certain knights of sir John of Hainault's, who
was always about king Philip, shewed me as they knew.

OF THE BATTLE OF CRESSY BETWEEN THE KING OF ENGLAND AND THE FRENCH
KING

The Englishmen, who were in three battles lying on the ground to rest
them, as soon as they saw the Frenchmen approach, they rose upon their
feet fair and easily without any haste and arranged their battles. The
first, which was the prince's battle, the archers there stood in
manner of a herse and the men of arms in the bottom of the battle. The
earl of Northampton and the earl of Arundel with the second battle
were on a wing in good order, ready to comfort the prince's battle, if
need were.

The lords and knights of France came not to the assembly together in
good order, for some came before and some came after in such haste and
evil order, that one of them did trouble another. When the French king
saw the Englishmen, his blood changed, and said to his marshals: 'Make
the Genoways go on before and begin the battle in the name of God and
Saint Denis.' There were of the Genoways cross-bows about a fift