eanne d'Arc_, pp. 101, 102.]

Having quitted Soissons, the royal army reached Chateau-Thierry on the
29th. All day it waited for the town to open its gates. In the evening
the King entered.[1608] Coulommiers, Crecy-en-Brie, and Provins
submitted.[1609]

[Footnote 1608: Perceval de Cagny, p. 160. Monstrelet, vol. iv, p. 340.]

[Footnote 1609: Monstrelet, vol. iv, p. 340. _Chronique de la Pucelle_,
p. 323. Felix Bourquelot, _Histoire de Provins_, Provins, vol. iv, pp.
79 _et seq._ Th. Robillard, _Histoire pittoresque topographique et
archeologique de Crecy-en-Brie_, 1852, p. 42. L'Abbe C. Poquet,
_Histoire de Chateau-Thierry_, 1839, vol. i, pp. 290 _et seq._]

On Monday, the 1st of August, the King crossed the Marne, over the
Chateau-Thierry Bridge, and that same day took up his quarters at
Montmirail. On the morrow he gained Provins and came within a short
distance of the passage of the Seine and the high-roads of central
France.[1610] The army was sore anhungered, finding nought to eat in
these ravaged fields and pillaged cities. Through lack of victuals
preparations were being made for retreat into Poitou. But this design
was thwarted by the English. While ungarrisoned towns were being
reduced, the English Regent had been gathering an army. It was now
advancing on Corbeil and Melun. On its approach the French gained La
Motte-Nangis, some twelve miles from Provins, where they took up their
position on ground flat and level, such as was convenient for the
fighting of a battle, as battles were fought in those days. For one
whole day they remained in battle array. There was no sign of the
English coming to attack them.[1611]

[Footnote 1610: Perceval de Cagny, pp. 160, 161.]

[Footnote 1611: _Chronique de la Pucelle_, pp. 324, 325. _Journal du
siege_, p. 115. Jean Chartier, _Chronique_, vol. i, pp. 98, 99.
Perceval de Cagny, p. 161. Rymer, _Foedera_, June to July, 1429.
_Proceedings_, vol. iii, pp. 322 _et seq._ Morosini, vol. iv, appendix
xvii.]

Meanwhile the people of Reims received tidings that King Charles was
leaving Chateau-Thierry and was about to cross the Seine. Believing
that they had been abandoned, they were afraid lest the English and
Burgundians should make them pay dearly for the coronation of the King
of the Armagnacs; and in truth they stood in great danger. On the 3rd
of August, they resolved to send a message to King Charles to entreat
him not to forsake those cities which had submitted to him.