of Bohemia the third, and
the Count of Savoy the fourth. Besides these were a band of 15,000
mercenaries, Genoese crossbow-men, who were now ordered to pass between
the ranks of cavalry and to clear the ground of the English archers, who
were drawn up in the usual form in which they fought--namely, in very
open order, line behind line, the men standing alternately, so that each
had ample room to use his bow and to fire over the heads of those in
front. The formation was something like that of a harrow, and, indeed,
exactly resembled that in which the Roman archers fought, and was called
by them a quincunx.

The Genoese had marched four leagues beneath a hot sun loaded with their
armour and heavy cross-bows, and they remonstrated against the order,
urging that they were in no condition to do good service without some
repose. The Count D'Alencon, furious at their hesitation, ordered them
up, but as they advanced a terrible thunderstorm, with torrents of rain,
broke over the armies, and wetting the cords of the crossbows rendered
many of them unserviceable. At length the crossbow-men were arranged in
front, while behind them were the vast body of French cavalry, and the
order was given for the battle to begin.

The Genoese advanced with loud shouts but the English archers paid no
attention to the noise, but waited calmly for the attack. At this moment
the sun, now approaching the west, shone out brightly between the clouds
behind the English, its rays streaming full in the faces of the French.
The Genoese were now within distance, and began to discharge their
quarrels at their impassive enemies, but as they opened fire the English
archers drew their bows from the cases which had protected them from the
rain, and stepping forward poured their arrows among the Genoese. The
crossbow-men were smitten as with a storm, numbers were struck in the
face and other unprotected parts, and they were instantly thrown into
confusion, and casting away their cross-bows they recoiled in disorder
among the horsemen behind them.

Phillip, passionate and cruel as ever, instead of trying to rally the
Genoese, ordered the cavalry behind them to fall upon them, and
the men-at-arms at once plunged in among the disordered mass of the
crossbow-men, and a wild scene of carnage and confusion ensued, the
English archers continuing to pour their unerring arrows into the midst.

The Count D'Alencon, who was behind, separated his division into two
bo