Crossing of the Somme at Blanchetaque

Froissart Book 3: 1342-1346. [23rd August 1346] [268] Then there was a servant, called Gobin Agace, who stepped forward to speak, for he knew the passage of the Blanchetaque better than any other, for he was born and raised nearby, and had crossed and recrossed it several times that year. So he said to the king: 'Yes, in the name of God. I promise you, upon the forfeit of my head, that I shall lead you well to such a ford, where you and your host may pass the river Somme without peril. And there are certain limits of the passage where twelve men may well cross abreast, twice between night and day, and the water will come no higher than the knees. For when the tide of the sea is rising, it flows back into the river so strongly that no one could pass it. But when that tide, which comes twice between night and day, has fully ebbed, the river remains there so shallow that one may cross easily, on foot and on horseback. This cannot be done anywhere else save at the bridge at Abbeville, which is a strong and great town, well furnished with men-at-arms. And at this passage, my lord, which I name to you, there is gravel of white marl, hard and firm, on which carts may safely travel; and for this reason the ford is called the Blanchetaque.'

When the king of England heard the words of the servant, he was not so glad as if someone had given him twenty thousand écus. And he said to him: 'Companion, if I find true that which you tell us, I will release you from your prison, and all your companions as well, for love of you, and I will have a hundred nobles given to you.' And Gobin Agace replied: 'Sire, yes, upon peril of my head. But arrange this, that you be there upon the riverbank before the sun rises.' Said the king: 'Willingly.' Then he caused it to be proclaimed throughout his host that each man should be armed and made ready at the sound of the trumpet, to march forth and depart thence, to go elsewhere.

Là eut un varlet, que on clamoit Gobin Agace,qui s'avança de parler, car il cognissoit le passage de le Blanke Take mieulz que nulz aultres, car il estoit nés et nouris de là priés, et l'avoit passet et rapasset en ceste anée par pluiseurs fois. Si dist au roy: "Oil, en nom Dieu. Je vous prommeth, sus l'abandon dema tieste, que je vous menrai bien à tel pas, où vous passerés le rivière de Somme, et vostre host, sans peril. Et y a certainnes mètes de passage, où douze hommes le passeroient bien de front, deux fois entre nuit et jour, et n'aroient de l'aigue plus avant quejusques as genoulz. Car quant li fluns de le mer est en venant, il regorge le rivière si contremont que nuls ne le poroit passer. Mais quant cilz fluns, qui vient deux fois entre nuit et jour, s'en est tous ralés, la rivière demeure là endroit si petite que on y passe bien aise, à piet et à cheval. Ce ne poet on faire aultre part que là, fors au pont à Abbeville, qui estforte ville et grande, et bien garnie de gens d'armes. Et au dit passage, monsigneur, que je vous nomme, a gravier de blanke marle, forte et dure, sur quoi on poet seurement chariier, et pour ce appelle on ce pas le Blanke Take."

Quant li rois d'Engleterre oy les parolles dou varlet, il n'euist mies estet si liés qui li euist donné vingt mil escus, et li dist: "Compains, si je trueve en vrai ce que tu nous dis, je te quitterai ta prison et tous tes compagnons, pour l'amour de ti, et te feraidelivrer cent nobles." Et Gobins Agace respondi: "Sire, oil, en peril de ma tieste. Mais ordenés vous sur ce, pour estre là sur la rive devant soleil levant." Dist li rois: "Volentiers." Puis fist savoir par tout son host que cescuns fust armés etappareilliés au son de le trompète, pour mouvoir et partir de là pour aler ailleurs.

Roxburghe Club 1842. [24th August 1346] When we came to the River Somme, we found the bridges destroyed, so we headed toward Saint-Valery to cross at a ford, where the sea ebbs and flows. Upon our arrival there, a great number of armed men and local forces met us to defend the crossing. But we forced our way through and, by God's grace, a thousand men crossed at the ford, where before barely three or four at a time could pass. Our whole host crossed safely within one day, and our enemies were defeated. Many were captured, and a great number slain, while we lost none of our men. That same day, soon after we had crossed, our said adversary suddenly appeared on the far side of the water with a great host of men. It was so sudden that we were scarcely prepared. Therefore, we stayed where we were, took position, and waited all that day and the next until the evening. At last, when we saw he would not cross there, but turned toward Abbeville, we marched to Crécy to confront him on the other side of the forest.

Edward par la grace de Dieu roy Dangleterre et de France et Sieur Dirland a son chier et feal chevalier Thomas Lucy, salus. Pour ceo qe nous savoms bien qe vous orret; volunters bones novelles de nous, nous fesóns savoir qe nous arrivams a la Hoge pres Harflus le dosisme jour de Juyll' darreyn passe avec touts nos gents seyns et saufs, loue en soit Dieux: et illeoqes demurasmes sur le deskippere de nos gents et chivaulx, et le vitailler de nos gents tantqe le Marsdi procheyn ensuant en quel iour nous movasmes avec notre host devers Valonges, et preims le chastel et la ville; et puys sur notre chymyn fesoms faire le pount de Ove qestoit debrise per nos enemys; et le passams, et preyms le Chastell et la ville de Carentyne. Et de illeokes nous tenismes le droit chemyn devers la vile de Saint Leo et trovasmes le pount Herbert prez cele ville rumpu pour avoir desturbe notre passage; et nous le feismes maintenaunt refaire: et lendemayn preismes la ville; et nous adresceasmes droitment a Caen, sans nulle iour soiourner del houre qe nous departismes del Hoge tantqe a notre venu illeoqes et mayntenaunt sur nostre herbergere a Caen nos gents comencerent de doner assault a la ville qestoit mout afforce et estuffe des gents darmes environ Mill 'et sis cents, et comunes armes et defensables et aisme trent Mill, qe se defenderent moult bien et apertement si qe le melle fust trefort et longe durant, mes loue soit Dieux la ville estoit prigns par force au derreine, sauns perdre de nous gent; et y furent pris le count de Ewe conestable de Fraunce; le chamberleyne Tankervill', qestoit a la iourne escries Mareschal' de Fraunce, et des aultres banerettes et chivalers environ cent et qaraunt et des esquiers et riches Burgesses grant foison: et sont morts tou pleyn de nobles chivalers et gentils hommes, et dez communes grant noumbre. Et notre navie qest demurre devers nous a ars et destruit tout la cost de la mere de Harflue iousquez a la fosse de Coluille prez Caen; et si ount y ars la ville de Shirburgh et lez niefs en la haven et sount ars dez grant neefs et aultres veasseals des enemys, qe par nous qe par nous gens C. ou plus. Et puis demorasmes quatre jours a Caen pour vitailler et frecssher notre hoste, et de illocques, pur ce que nous esteims certifies que notre adversaire fust venu a Roen, nous prims notre chemin droitement devers lui, et maintenant quaunt il savoit il fist rumper le pount de Roen que nous ney poyms passer, et en le mesme temps nous encounterent deux cardinalx a la cite de Lyseux et safforcerount de nous tenir per coleur de traitie pour nous desturber de notre voiage; mes nous les rendismes briefment qe nous ne levroms nulle journe pour tiel cause, mez quel hour qe raison nos serroit offert nous ferroms response covenable, et, quant nos estoms enformes qe le dit pount de Roen fust rumpu, nous nous logams sur la river, devers Pariz de Sayn bien prez le dicte ville, et ainsi tenismes notre chemyn auant sur la dicte riuer et trovams tous les pounts rumpuz ou afforces et defendus, sy qe en nulle maner ne povams passer devers notre dit adversaire; ne ile que nous costea de jour en aultre de lautre parte de leau ne vouloit au nous approchier, dount ile nous peisa moulte; et quaunt nos venismes a Poscy pre; de Parys nous trovams le pount rumpue, et a doncqe notre dicte adversaire estoiet plante; ou tout son host et pouaire en la cite de Paris et sy fist baser le pount de saint Olo, qe nous ne pouems passer a Paris de celui part de leawe ou nous estoims: pour quoy nous demouraims a Posey trei; jours, taunt pour attendre notre dit adversaire en caas quil vouloit a nous doner bataille, come pour refraire le dicte pount: et endeintres que le dit pount fust en reparilant, veint ung graunt povair des ennemies de lautre part leawe pour disturber le reparailler dudicte pount, mes devant qe le dicte pount fuist refait achuns dez nos gents y passerent au paser ung plaunke et les disconfirent et occirent graunt nombre. Et, quaunt nous veismes qe notre ennemiz ne vouloit venir pour doner bataille, sy fismes arder et gaster le paiz environ. Et chan jour nous gent; affair avec les ennemis et tout fois aiant le victoire, louez ensoit Dieu, et passams le pount avec notre hoste, et pour plus attraire notre ennemie a la bataille nous nous traiams devers Picardie, ou nos gent; aiant plusers belles journes sour nous ennemis,

... et quaunt nous venismes a la River de Some nous ytrovasmes les pount; rumpu; per quoi nous nous traiams devers Sayn Walleri pour passer a ung gene, ou la mere foule et refoule; et a notre venu illoqes graunt nombre de; gent; desarmes et des communes nous vindrent a lencontre pour nous defendre le passage, mes nous preignons maintenant le passage sur eux a force et parmi la grace de Dieu si passerent bien mille persons a frount ou avant cez houres a payn souloient passer trois au quatre, sy que nous et tout nre host passavems savement et en ung hour de jour et nous ennemis yfurent discomfi; et plusiers pris, et sy avoit il graunt nombre des ennemiz occis a la journe saun; perdre de nous gents; et mesme le jour bien tost aprez ce que nous estoms passer le eawe se monstra del autre part leau notre dicte adversaire ou graunt povair des gents si soudainement, qe nous nescoms de rien garnes pour quoy nous ydemouraims et preins notre place et attendans tout le jour et lendemain tantqe al hour de vespre, et au darain quant nous voiams qil ne vouloit illoques passer mes se tourna devers Abbevill, nous nous traams devers Crescy pour lui en contrer de lautre parte de la fforest,

Chronicle of the Monastery of Melsa. 24th August 1346. Therefore, King Edward, having been informed by an Englishman born in Royston near Nafferton, who had lived in those parts for 16 years, directed his course through a certain ford of the aforementioned river into the towns of Saint-Valery and Crotoy, where the sea ebbs and flows. There, he crossed with his men at a place where the inhabitants of that land had never before dared to cross, except six or four at a time. But King Edward, with his army, crossed a league closer to the sea than others had ever crossed before, at a place where no one had previously crossed. Upon his arrival there, a large number of fighters and the communities of the entire surrounding region gathered to oppose Edward's passage. But King Edward, with his men, though continually facing resistance from enemies, crossed over thousands of front lines almost within a single hour of the day. After defeating the French—indeed, more than 8,000 of them were killed—King Edward and all his men remained unharmed. Immediately, the English took the town of Crotoy and the castle of Noyel.

Unde continuo rex Edwardus per quemdam Anglicum natum in Roestona prope Naffretonam, qui in illis partibus per 16 annos morabatur, informatus, per quoddam vadum preedicti fluminis in villas Sancti Valerii et Crotoye, ubi mare fluit et refluit, iter suum dirigebat. Ibique cum suis pertransivit ubi per prius terre illius incolse [nunquam], nisi 6 vel 4 simul, ausi sunt pertransire. Edwardus vero rex cum exercitu suo propinquius mari quam alii per unam leugam transvadavit; ubi nunquam per prius aliquis pertransivit. Ad cujus illuc adventum, copiosus numerus pugnatorum et totius circaregionis communitatum Edwardo inobviam convenerunt, ad ipsius passagium perturbandum. Sed rex Edwardus cum suis continuo viribus tamen, licet resistentibus inimicis, per millenos frontorios quasi in una diei hora transvadavit, et victis Francigenis, videlicet 8,000 et amplius eorum interfectis, rex Edwardus et sui singuli incolumes remanserunt. Et continuo Anglici villam de Crotoy et castrum de Noyel acceperunt.

Chronicle of Robert de Avesbury. [24th August 1346] And then the king of England, whom God save, drew towards Ponthieu on the day of St. Bartholomew, and came to the water of the Somme, which cometh to the sea from Abbeville in Ponthieu. And the king of France had appointed five hundred men of arms and three thousand of the commons armed, to hold the passage; and, thanks be to God, the king of England and his host took that water of the Somme, where never man passed before, without loss, and fought their enemies and slew more than two thousand armed men, and chased the rest right up to the gate of Abbeville, and took of knights and squires in great number. And the same day my lord Hugh le Despenser took the town of Crotoy, and he and his men slew there four hundred men of arms and held the town and found great plenty of victuals. And that night the king of England encamped in the forest of Crécy, upon the same water, for that the host of France came on the other side of the town after our passage; but it would not take the water against us, but returned towards Abbeville. And on the Friday next after the king of England encamped in the same forest of Crécy.

Et puis le roi Dengleterre, ge Dieu eauve, se treia devers Pountif le jour de Seint Bartholomeu, et vient a leawe de Somme, qe vint a la meer du Abbeville en Pountif. Et le roi de Fraunce avoit ordeigne D hommes darmes et MMM des comunes armez de avoir garde la passage: et, mercie soit Dieux, le roi Dengleterre et son host pristrent cele eawe de Somme, ou unges homme ne passa avaunt, sauns perir nul dez gentz, et combateront od lour enemys et tueront plus qe MM gentz darmes, et lez remenantz enchacerent droit a la porte Dabbeville, et pristrent de chivalers et esquiers a graunt nombre. Et mesme le jour monsire Hughe le Despenser prist la ville de Crotoye, et lui et sa gent tuerent illeosqges CCCC hommes darmes et tindrent la ville et troveront graunt plente du vitailles. Et cele nuyt herberga le roy Dengleterre en la forest de Cressy, sour mesme leawe, purceo qe lost de Fraunce vint de lautre part de la ville apres nostre passage; mais il ne voudra prendre leawe sour nous, et retournerent vers Abbeville. Et le Vendredy proschein soi herberga le roy Dengleterre en mesme la forest de Cressy.

Chronicle of Henry Knighton. [24th August 1346] And when Philip had learned of the crossing of the English and the ruin of his own men, he set out toward Amiens, and caused all the bridges in the region between himself and King Edward to be destroyed, so that no way lay open to the English except between Crotoy and Abbeville, where, before, the inhabitants of that land or their neighbors had never known a passage. And thus they crossed through a tidal ford of the sea, about one league in length, on the vigil of Saint Bartholomew. And on the other side of the ford the enemies had been ready for battle, three thousand men, under the captains of Ponthieu and the Countess of Aumale, in the field where the English must needs land. But the English seized the shore against them with swift strength; and the Earl of Warwick, the Earl of Northampton, and Lord Reginald of Cobham came out of the water, and before King Edward himself had reached the land, they had routed the enemy, killing two thousand men-at-arms and many of the common folk, and driving the rest in flight as far as the town of Abbeville, where King Philip himself was present with his full army. King Edward remained there in the field with his army all that day and night, and on the following day until the hour of Crécy.

Cumque Philippus intellexisset passagium Anglorum et ruinam suorum, carpsit iter versus Amyas, fecitque elidi omnes pontes in circuitu inter ipsum et regem Edwardum, iter quod non patuit iter Angligenis nisi inter Crotoye et Abville, ubi antea incolis dictæ terræ vel compatriotis nunquam claruerunt viam, et sic transierunt per unum whassum maris ad longitudinem unius leucæ, in vigilia sancti Bartholomæi; et ex altera parte wasshy inimici fuerant parati ad prælium, IIJ millia virorum capitaneis Pontiniacis et comitissa de Armarle in campo cum Angli terram capere debuerant; sed Anglici proripuerunt terram super eos cum agili fortitudine; et comes Warwych, et comes Northamptoniæ, et dominus Reginaldus de Cobham exierunt de aqua, et antequam rex Edwardus terram arriperet devicerant inimicos et IJ millia virorum armatorum cum plurioribus de communibus occiderant, et reliquos fugaverunt usque ad villam de Abvyll; Philippo rege in eadem villa cum suo pleno exercitu existente. Rex Edwardus mansit ibidem in campo cum exercitu suo Edward toto illo die et nocte et in crastino usque ad horam Cressy.

Anonimalle Chronicle. [24th August 1346] And when he came to the river Somme, he found the bridges broken, so that he turned toward Saint-Valery to cross at a ford where the sea ebbs and flows. And when he arrived there, a great number of men-at-arms and common folk came against him to defend the passage. But he immediately seized the passage across the waters by force, and by the grace of God more than a thousand persons crossed abreast, where before at most three or four had been wont to pass; so that the said king of England with all his host crossed safely within, as it were, the space of one hour of the day, and his enemies there were discomfited and many taken. And moreover, a great number of the enemies were slain in that encounter without loss of our men. And that same day, soon after the said king of England had crossed the water of the Somme, his said adversary showed himself on the other side of the water with great power of men, so suddenly that he (the king) was not at all prepared. Wherefore he halted, took up his position, and awaited all that day and the next until the hour of vespers.

Et quant il venist al ryver de Somme il trovast les pountz rumpuz par qoi il se traiast devers seint Wallery pur passer a un gewe ou le mere foule et refoule; et a soun venue illoeqs graunt noumbre des gentz darmes et des communes lui vindrent a lencountre pur lui defendre le passage. Mes il prist mentenaunt le passage sur eaux a force et par mye la grace de Dieux si passerent bien mille persones a frount ou, avaunt ces heures, a payn solent passer treis ou quatre, si ke le dit roi Dengleterre od tout soun host passast savement come en une heure de iour et ses enemys yfurent descomfitz et plusours pris. Et si avoit il graunt noumbre des enemys occis al iourne saunz perde des noz gentz. Et mesme le iour bien tost apres ceo qe le dit roi Dengleterre estoit passe leawe de Somme, se moustra del altre parte leawe soun dit adversere od graunt poer des gentz si sudeynement qil nestoit de rien garnyez, par qai il demurrast et prist soun place et attendist tout le iour et lendymayne tanqe al heure de vesper.

Adam Murimuth Continuation. 24th August 1346. Thus, our lord the king came to Poissy, where he found the bridge broken. The adversary remained on the Parisian side and sent 1,000 knights and 2,000 foot soldiers with crossbows to guard the bridge to prevent its repair. He had all bridges around Paris that might allow crossing broken down. However, three or four beams placed beyond the ruined bridge enabled a few of our archers to cross, though only a small number. According to estimates, around 1,000 of the enemy were slain and the rest fled. With the bridge repaired, the king made his way through Picardy, the enemy shadowing him from the side. The bridges again broken, our lord the king could not pass except between Crotoy and Abbeville, during a sea ebb, where the entire army crossed unharmed, even though the local people did not know a safe crossing existed—only a spot where six or ten might pass at once. Nevertheless, our men crossed indiscriminately, as if it were a broad and safe ford—an astonishing sight to all who knew the place. The adversary of our king had stationed around 1,000 knights and over 5,000 foot soldiers to guard the crossing and fiercely oppose the king. But the Earl of Northampton and Sir Reginald Cobham, advancing with 100 armed men and some archers ahead of the army, repelled them bravely. On that day, over 2,000 of the enemy were slain, and the rest fled to Abbeville, where the adversary with his army had taken position.

Et sic dominus noster rex usque ad Pusiscum venit, ubi invenit pontem fractum. Et adversarius suus citra Parisius non quievit, sed ordinavit M^l equites et MM^l peditum cum balistis ad custodiam dicti pontis, ut non posset reparari. Omnes pontes in circuitu Parisius, per quos transitus esse posset, frangi fecit Protensis tamen iij. vel iiij. trabibus ultra pontem fractum, transierunt quidem sagittarii, licet pauci. Interfectis secundum estimationem hominibus mille vel circiter hostium, oceteri versi sunt in fugam. Reparato ponte, dominus rex per Picardiam fecit viam suam, et adversarii in latere sequebantur. Et, fractis pontibus, vis non potuit domino nostro regi, nisi inter Croteye et Abbatis villam in refluxu maris, ubi totus exercitus transivit illsesus, licet in loco a populo illius terræ nesciretur esse vadum tutum, nisi situm ubi sex vel decem transire poterant simul. Nostri tamen indifferenter quasi omni loco, tanquam in vado tuto, transierunt; quod mirum est in oculis omninm qui noverant locum illum. Et adversarius domini nostri regis ordinavit circiter M. equites et V. millia peditum vel ultra pro custodia illius passagii, ad resistendum fortiter domino regi; sed per dominum comitem Northamptoniæ et dominum Reoginaldum de Cobham, cum C. armatis et quibusdam sagittariis exercitum præcedentes, viriliter sunt repulsi, et, interfectis eo die duobus millibus vel ultra, ceteri fugerunt usque ad Abbatis villam, ubi dictus adversarius cum exercitu suo fuit.

Froissart Book 3: 1342-1346. 269. The king of England did not sleep much that night; rather he rose at midnight and had the trumpet sounded, as a sign to break camp. Each man was quickly made ready, packhorses loaded, carts charged. So they departed, at the point of daybreak [24th August 1346], from the town of Oisemont, and rode under the guidance of that servant who led them. And they rode so far and so well that they came, about sunrise, close enough to the ford that is called the Blanchetaque; but the tide of the sea was then so full that they could not pass. And indeed it was needful that the king wait for his men, who were coming after him. So he tarried there until after prime [around 9 a.m.], when the tide had fully ebbed away.

And before the tide had fully ebbed, there came from the other side Sir Godemar du Fay to the ford of the Blanchetaque, with a great company of men-at-arms sent by the king of France, as you have already heard recounted above. And this same Sir Godemar, as he came to the Blanchetaque, had gathered a great number of the people of the countryside, so that they were well twelve thousand in all, who straightway arrayed themselves upon the ford of the river to guard and defend the passage. But King Edward of England did not forbear from crossing for that; rather he commanded his marshals at once to strike into the water, and his archers to shoot fiercely at the French, who were in the river and upon the bank. Then the two marshals of England caused their banners to advance, in the name of God and of Saint George, and they themselves after them; and they dashed into the water at full charge, the boldest and best mounted riding in the forefront. There in the very river were many jousts made, and many a man overthrown on one side and the other. There began a fierce struggle, for Sir Godemar and his men defended the passage valiantly. And there were some knights and squires of France, of Artois and of Picardy, and of the charge of my lord Godemar, who, to advance their honor, spurred into the said ford, and would not be found upon the banks, but chose rather to joust in the water than upon the land. And there, I tell you, were done many jousts and many fine feats of arms.

And there the English, at the first, had a very hard encounter. For all those who were with my lord Godemar, sent thither to defend and guard the passage, were men of choice, and they stood all well arrayed upon the narrow ground of the river crossing. So the English were sorely met when they came out of the water to gain the land. And there were Genoese, who with their shooting did them great harm. But the archers of England shot so strongly and so steadily that it was a marvel; and all the while, as they harassed the French, the men-at-arms kept passing over. And know that the English set themselves right eagerly to the fight, for it was openly said among them that the king of France was following after them with more than a hundred thousand men. And already some scouting companions from the French side had come as far as the English, who carried back true signs to the king of France, as you shall hear.

Li rois d'Engleterre ne dormi mies gramment celle nuit; ains se leva à mienuit, et fist sonner le trompette, en signe de deslogier. Cescuns fu'tantost appareilliés, sommier toursés, chars chargiés. Si se partirent, sour le point dou jour, de le ville de Oisemont; et chevaucièrent sur le conduit de ce varlet qui les menoit. Et fisent tant et si bien s'esploitièrent qu'il vinrent, environ soleil levant, assés'priès de ce gué que on claime le Blanche Take; mès li fluns de le mer estoit adonc si plains qu'il ne'peurent passer. Ossi bien couvenoit il au roy attendre ses gens, qui venoient apriès lui. Si demora là endroit jusques apriès prime, que li fluns s'en fu tous ralés.

Et ançois que li fluns s'en fust tous ralés, vint d'autre part messires Godemars dou Fay sus le pas de le Blanke Take, à grant fuison de gens d'armes envoiiés de par le roy de France, si com vous avés oy recorder chi dessus. Si avoit li dis messires Godemars,en venant à le Blanke Take, rassamblé grant fuison des gens dou pays, tant qu'il estoient bien douze mil, uns c'autres, qui tantos se rengièrent sus le pas de le rivière, pour garder et deffendre le passage. Mais li rois Edowars d'Engleterre ne laissa mies'à passer pour ce; ains commanda à ses mareschaus tantost ferir en l'aigue, et ses arciers traire fortement as François, qui estoient en l'aigue et sus le rivage. Lors fisent li doi mareschal d'Engleterre chevaucier leurs banières, ou nom de Dieu et de saint Gorge, et yaus apriès; si se ferirent en l'aigue de plains eslais, li plus bacelereus et li mieulz monté devant. Là eut en le meisme rivière fait mainte jouste, et maint homme reversé d'une part et d'aultre. Là commença uns fors hustins, car messires Godemars et li sien'deffendoient vassaument le passage. Là y eut aucuns chevaliers et escuiers françois, d'Artois et de Pikardie et de le carge monsigneur Godemar, qui pour leur honneur avancier se feroient ou dit gués, et ne voloient mies estre trouvé sus les camps, mès avoient'plus chier à jouster en l'aigue que sus terre. Si y eut, je vous di, là fait mainte jouste et mainte belle apertise d'armes.

Et eurent là li Englès, de premiers, un moult dur rencontre. Car tout cil, qui estoient avoecques monsigneur'Godemar là envoiiet pour deffendre et garder le passage, estoient gens d'eslitte; et se tenoient tout bien rengiet sus le destroit dou passage de le rivière: dont li Englès estoient dur rencontré, quant il venoient à l'issue de l'aigue, pour prendre terre.'Et y avoit Geneuois qui dou tret leur faisoient moult de maulz. Mais li arcier d'Engleterre traioient si fort et si ouniement c'à merveilles; et toutdis, entrues qu'il ensonnioient les François, gens d'armes passoient. Et sachiés que li Englès se prendoient bien'priés d'yaus combatre, car il leur estoit dit notorement que li rois de France les sievoit à plus de cent mil hommes. Et jà estoient aucun compagnon coureur, de le partie des François, venu jusques as Englès, li quel en reportèrent vraies ensengnes au roy'de France, si com vous orés dire.

Life of the Black Prince by Chandos Herald. 24th August 1346.