the king's authority among
his allies, who assembled their forces with expedition, and joined the
English army. Edward marched to the frontiers of France at the head of
above one hundred thousand men, consisting chiefly of foreigners, a more
numerous army than either before or since has ever been commanded by any
king of England.[***] At the same time the Flemings, to the number of
fifty thousand men, marched out under the command of Robert of Artois,
and laid siege to St. Omer; but this tumultuary army, composed entirely
of tradesmen unexperienced in war, was routed by a sally of the
garrison, and notwithstanding the abilities of their leader, was thrown
into such a panic, that they were instantly dispersed, and never more
appeared in the field. The enterprises of Edward, though not attended
with so inglorious an issue, proved equally vain and fruitless. The
king of France had assembled an army more numerous than the English; was
accompanied by all the chief nobility of his kingdom; was attended by
many foreign princes, and even by three monarchs, the kings of Bohemia,
Scotland, and Navarre:[****] yet he still adhered to the prudent
resolution of putting nothing to hazard; and after throwing strong
garrisons into all the frontier towns, he retired backwards, persuaded
that the enemy, having wasted their force in some tedious and
unsuccessful enterprise, would afford him an easy victory.

* Froissard, liv. i. chap. 51. Avesbury, p. 56. Heming. p.
321.

** Walsing. p. 148.

*** Rymer, vol. v. p. 197

**** Froissard, liv. i. chap. 57.

Tournay was at that time one of the most considerable cities of
Flanders, containing above sixty thousand inhabitants of all ages,
who were affectionate to the French government: and as the secret of
Edward's designs had not been strictly kept, Philip learned that the
English, in order to gratify their Flemish allies, had intended to open
the campaign with the siege of this place: he took care therefore to
supply it with a garrison of fourteen thousand men, commanded by the
bravest nobility of France; and he reasonably expected that these
forces, joined to the inhabitants, would be able to defend the city
against all the efforts of the enemy. Accordingly Edward, when he
commenced the siege about the end of July found every where an obstinate
resistance: the valor of one side was encountered with equal valor by
the other: every assault was repulsed, and proved