THE KING OF ENGLAND MAKES HIS ENTRY INTO HARFLEUR.—THE REGULATIONS WHICH HE ORDAINED.—HE RESOLVES TO MARCH TO CALAIS.—THE DISPOSITION AND GOVERNMENT OF THE FRENCH.
THE town of Harfleur surrendered to the king on the appointed day: the gates were thrown open, and his commissioners entered the place; but when the king came to the gate, he dismounted, and had his legs and feet uncovered, and thence walked barefooted to the parochial church of St Martin, where he very devoutly offered up his prayers and thanksgivings to his Creator for his success. After this, he made all the nobles and men at arms that were in the town his prisoners, and shortly after sent the greater part of them out of the place cloathed in their jackets only, taking down their names and surnames in writing, and making them swear on their faith that they would render themselves prisoners at Calais on the Martinmas-day next ensuing,—and then they departed.
In like manner were the inhabitants constituted prisoners, and forced to ransom themselves for large sums of money. In addition, they were driven out of the town, with numbers of women and children, to each of whom were given five sols and part of their cloathing. It was pitiful to see and hear the sorrow of these poor people, thus driven away from their dwellings and property. The priests and clergy were also dismissed; and in regard to the wealth found there, it was immense, and appertained to the king, who distributed it among such as he pleased. Two towers that were very strong, and situated on the side next the sea, held out for ten days after the surrender of the town; but then they surrendered also.
The king of England ordered the greater part of his army home, by way of Calais, under the command of his brother the duke of Clarence and the earl of Warwick. His prisoners and the great booty he had made were sent by sea to England, with his warlike engines. When the king had repaired the walls and ditches of the town he placed in it a garrison of five hundred men at arms and one thousand archers, under the command of the governor sir John le Blond, knight[29]: he added a very large stock of provision and of warlike stores.
After fifteen days residence in Harfleur, the king of England departed, escorted by two thousand men at arms and about thirteen thousand archers, and numbers of other men, intending to march to Calais. His first quarters were at Fauville[30] and in the adjacent places: then, traversing the country of Caux, he made for the county of Eu. Some of the english light troops came before the town of Eu, in which were several french men at arms, who sallied out to oppose them: in the number was a most valiant man at arms, called Lancelot Pierres, who, having attacked one of the English, was struck by him with a lance, which piercing the plates of his armour, mortally wounded him in the belly, and being thus wounded, he was killed by the Englishman, to the great grief of the count d'Eu and many of the French.
Thence the king of England marched through Vimeu, with the intent of crossing the river Somme at Blanchetaque, where his predecessor, king Edward, had passed when he gained the battle of Cressy against Philippe de Valois; but learning from his scouts that the French had posted a considerable force to guard that ford, he altered his route, and marched toward Arraines, burning and destroying the whole country, making numbers of prisoners and acquiring a great booty.
On Sunday, the 13th of October, he lodged at Bailleul in Vimeu,—and thence crossing the country, he sent a considerable detachment to gain the pass of the Pont de Remy[31]; but the lord de Vaucourt, with his children and a great number of men at arms, gallantly defended it against the English. This constrained king Henry to continue his march, and quarter his army at Hangest sur Somme[32] and in the neighbouring villages.
At that time, the lord d'Albreth, constable of France, the marshal Boucicaut, the count de Vendôme grand master of the household, the lord de Dampierre, calling himself admiral of France, the duke d'Alençon, the count de Richemont, with a numerous and gallant chivalry, were in Abbeville. On hearing of the line of march which the king of England was pursuing, they departed thence and went to Corbie and Peronne, with their army near at hand, but dispersed over the country to guard all the fords of the river Somme against the English. The king of England marched from Hangest to Ponthieu[33], passing by Amiens, and fixed his quarters at Boves, then at Herbonnieres, Vauville[34], Bainviller, the French marching on the opposite bank of the Somme.
At length the English crossed that river on the morrow of St Luke's day, by the ford between Betencourt and Voyenne[35], which had not been staked by those of St Quentin as they had been ordered by the king of France. The english army were quartered at Monchy la Gache[36], near the river of Miraumont; and the lords of France, with their forces, retired to Bapaume and the adjacent parts.