OF THE ORDER OF THE ENGLISHMEN AT CRESSY, AND
HOW THEY MADE THREE BATTLES AFOOT
ON the Friday, as I said before, the king of England lay
in the fields, for the country was plentiful of wines and
other victual, and if need had been, they had provision
following in carts and other carriages. That night the king
made a supper to all his chief lords of his host and made
them good cheer; and when they were all departed to take
their rest, then the king entered into his oratory and kneeled
down before the altar, praying God devoutly, that if he
fought the next day, that he might achieve the journey
to his honour: then about midnight he laid him down to
rest, and in the morning he rose betimes and heard mass,
and the prince his son with him, and the most part of his
company were confessed and houselled; and after the mass
said, he commanded every man to be armed and to draw
to the field to the same place before appointed. Then the
king caused a park to be made by the wood side behind his
host, and there was set all carts and carriages, and within the
park were all their horses, for every man was afoot; and
into this park there was but one entry. Then he ordained
three battles: in the first was the young prince of Wales,
with him the earl of Warwick and Oxford, the lord Godfrey
of Harcourt, sir Raynold Cobham, sir Thomas Holland,
the lord Stafford, the lord of Mohun, the lord Delaware, sir
John Chandos, sir Bartholomew de Burghersh, sir Robert
Nevill, the lord Thomas Clifford, the lord Bourchier, the
lord de Latimer, and divers other knights and squires that
I cannot name: they were an eight hundred men of arms
and two thousand archers, and a thousand of other with
the Welshmen: every lord drew to the field appointed
under his own banner and pennon. In the second battle
was the earl of Northampton, the earl of Arundel, the lord
Ros, the lord Lucy, the lord Willoughby, the lord Basset,
the lord of Saint-Aubin, sir Louis Tufton, the lord of
Multon, the lord Lascelles and divers other, about an eight
hundred men of arms and twelve hundred archers. The
third battle had the king: he had seven hundred men of arms
and two thousand archers. Then the king leapt on a hobby,
with a white rod in his hand, one of his marshals on the
one hand and the other on the other hand: he rode from
rank to rank desiring every man to take heed that day to his
right and honour. He spake it so sweetly and with so good
countenance and merry cheer, that all such as were discomfited
took courage in the seeing and hearing of him. And
when he had thus visited all his battles, it was then nine
of the day: then he caused every man to eat and drink a
little, and so they did at their leisure. And afterward they
ordered again their battles: then every man lay down on the
earth and by him his salet and bow, to be the more fresher
when their enemies should come.