e Comte de Vassal, _La bataille
de Patay_, Orleans, 1890.]

It is two o'clock in the afternoon. Poton's and Gugem's horse chance
to raise a stag, which darts out of a thicket and plunges down into
the hollow of La Retreve. Suddenly a clamour of voices ascends from
the hollow. It proceeds from the English soldiers loudly disputing
over the game which has fallen into their hands. Thus informed of the
enemy's presence, the French scouts halt and straightway despatch
certain of their company to go and tell the army that they have
surprised the _Godons_ and that it is time to set to work.[1283]

[Footnote 1283: Monstrelet, vol. iv, p. 328.]

Now this is what had been happening among the English. They were
retreating in good order on Janville, their vanguard commanded by a
knight bearing a white standard.[1284] Then came the artillery and the
victuals in waggons driven by merchants; then the main body of the
army, commanded by Sir John Talbot and Sir John Fastolf. The
rear-guard, which was likely to bear the brunt of the attack,
consisted only of Englishmen from England.[1285] It followed at some
distance from the rest. Its scouts, having seen the French without
being seen by them, informed Sir John Talbot, who was then between the
hamlet of Saint-Peravy and the town of Patay. On this information he
called a halt and commanded the vanguard with waggons and cannon to
take up its position on the edge of the Lignerolles wood. The position
was excellent: backed by the forest, the combatants were secure
against being attacked in the rear,[1286] while in front they were
able to entrench themselves behind their waggons. The main body did
not advance so far. It halted some little distance from Lignerolles,
in the hollow of La Retreve. On this spot the road was lined with
quickset hedges. Sir John Talbot with five hundred picked bowmen
stationed himself there to await the French who must perforce pass
that way. His design was to defend the road until the rear-guard had
had time to join the main body, and then, keeping close to the hedges,
he would fall back upon the army.

[Footnote 1284: Wavrin du Forestel, _Anciennes chroniques_, vol. i, p.
291.]

[Footnote 1285: _Ibid._, pp. 291-292.]

[Footnote 1286: Monstrelet, vol. iv, p. 329.]

The archers, as was their wont, were making ready to plant in the
ground those pointed stakes, the spikes of which they turned against
the chests of the enemy's horses, when the French, led by P