arious　actions　or　had　died　from　disease。
  The　division　of　the　Black　Prince　consisted　of　800　men…at…arms；　4000　archers；　and　6000　Welsh　foot。　The　archers；　as　usual；　were　placed　in　front；　supported　by　the　light　troops　of　Wales　and　the　men…at…arms；　on　his　left　was　the　second　division；　commanded　by　the　Earls　of　Arundel　and　Northampton；　its　extreme　left　rested　on　Canchy　and　the　river；　and　it　was　further　protected　by　a　deep　ditch；　this　corps　was　about　7000　strong。
  The　king　himself　took　up　his　position　on　a　knoll　of　rising　ground　surmounted　by　a　windmill；　and　12；000　men　under　his　personal　command　were　placed　here　in　reserve。
  In　the　rear　of　the　Prince's　division　an　enclosure　of　stakes　was　formed；　in　this；　guarded　by　a　small　body　of　archers；　were　ranged　the　wagons　and　baggage　of　the　army；　together　with　all　the　horses；　the　king　having　determined　that　the　knights　and　men…at…arms　on　his　side　should　fight　on　foot。
  When　the　army　had　taken　up　its　position；　the　king；　mounted　on　a　small　palfrey；　with　a　white　staff　in　his　hand；　rode　from　rank　to　rank　exhorting　his　soldiers　to　do　their　duty　gallantly。　It　was　nearly　noon　before　he　had　passed　through　all　the　lines；　and　permission　was　then　given　to　the　soldiers　to　fall　out　from　their　ranks　and　to　take　refreshments　while　waiting　for　the　coming　of　the　enemy。　This　was　accordingly　done；　the　men　eating　and　drinking　at　their　ease　and　lying　down　in　their　ranks　on　the　soft　grass　with　their　steel　caps　and　their　bows　or　pikes　beside　them。
  In　the　meantime　the　French　had；　on　their　side；　been　preparing　for　the　battle。　　Phillip　had　crossed　the　Somme　at　Abbeyville　late　on　Thursday　afternoon；　and　remained　there　next　day　marshalling　the　large　reinforcements　which　were　hourly　arriving。　His　force　now　considerably　exceeded　100；000　men；　the　number　with　which　he　had　marched　from　Amiens　three　days　previously。
  Friday　was　the　festival　of　St。　Louis；　and　that　evening　Phillip　gave　a　splendid　banquet　to　the　whole　of　the　nobles　of　his　army。
  On　the　following　morning　the　king；　accompanied　by　his　brother　the　Count　d'Alencon；　the　old　King　of　Bohemia　and　his　son；　the　King　of　Rome；　the　Duke　of　Lorraine；　the　Count　of　Blois；　the　Count　of　Flanders；　and　a　great　number　of　other　feudal　princes；　heard　Mass　at　the　Abbey；　and　then　marched　with　his　great　army　towards　Cressy。　He　moved　but　slowly　in　order　to　give　time　to　all　the　forces　scattered　over　the　neighbourhood　to　come　up；　and　four　knights；　headed　by　one　of　the　King　of　Bohemia's　officers；　went　forward　to　reconnoitre　the　English　position。　They　approached　within　a　very　short　distance　of　the　English　lines　and　gained　a　very　exact　knowledge　of　the　position；　the　English　taking　no　measures　to　interrupt　the　reconnaissance。　They　returned　with　the　information　they　had　gathered；　and　the　leader　of　the　party；　Le　Moyne　de　Basele；　one　of　the　most　judicious　officers　of　his　time；　strongly　advised　the　king　to　halt　his　troops；　pointing　out　that　as　it　was　evident　the　English　were　ready　to　give　battle；　and　as　they　were　fresh　and　vigorous　while　the　French　were　wearied　and　hungry；　it　would　be　better　to　encamp　and　give　battle　the　next　morning。
  Phillip　saw　the　wisdom　of　the　advice　and　ordered　his　two　marshals　the　Lord　of　St。　Venant　and　Charles　de　Montmorency　to　command　a　halt。　They　instantly　spurred　off；　one　to　the　front　and　the　other　to　the　rear；　commanding　the　leaders　to　halt　their　banners。　Those　in　advance　at　once　obeyed；　but　those　behind　still　pressed　on；　declaring　that　they　would　not　halt　until　they　were　in　the　front　line。　All　wanted　to　be　first；　in　order　to　obtain　their　share　of　the　honour　and　glory　of　defeating　the　English。　Those　in　front；　seeing　the　others　still　coming　on；　again　pressed　forward；　and　thus；　in　spite　of　the　efforts　of　the　king　and　his　marshals；　the　French　nobles　with　their　followers　pressed　forward　in　confusion；　until；　passing　through　a　small　wood；　they　found　themselves　suddenly　in　the　presence　of　the　English　army。
  CHAPTER　XIV：　CRESSY
  The　surprise　of　the　French　army　at　finding　themselves　in　the　presence　of　the　English　was　so　great　that　the　first　line　recoiled　in　confusion。　Those　marching　up　from　behind　imagined　that　they　had　been　already　engaged　and　repulsed　by　the　English；　and　the　disorder　spread　through　the　whole　army；　and　was　increased　by　the　common　people；　who　had　crowded　to　the　field　in　immense　numbers　from　the　whole　country　round　to　see　the　battle　and　share　in　the　plunder　of　the　English　camp。
  From　King　Edward's　position　on　the　rising　ground　he　could　see　the　confusion　which　prevailed　in　the　French　ranks；　and　small　as　were　his　forces　he　would　probably　have　obtained　an　easy　victory　by　ordering　a　sudden　charge　upon　them。　　The　English；　however；　being　dismounted；　but　small　results　would　have　followed　the　scattering　of　the　great　host　of　the　French。　The　English　army　therefore　remained　immovable；　except　that　the　soldiers　rose　from　the　ground；　and　taking　their　places　in　the　ranks；　awaited　the　onslaught　of　the　enemy。
  King　Phillip　himself　now　arrived　on　the　field　and　his　hatred　for　the　English　led　him　at　once　to　disregard　the　advice　which　had　been　given　him　and　to　order　the　battle　to　commence　as　soon　as　possible。
  The　army　was　divided　into　four　bodies；　of　which　Phillip　commanded　one；　the　Count　D'Alencon　the　second；　the　King　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　bodies；　and　swept　round　on　one　side　himself；　while　the　Count　of　Flanders　did　the　same　on　the　other　to　attack　the　Prince　of　Wales　in　more　regular　array。　Taking　a　circuitous　route；　D'Alencon　appeared　upon　a　rising　ground　on　the　flank　of　the　archers　of　the　Black　Prince；　and　thus；　avoiding　their　arrows；　charged　down　with　his　cavalry　upon　the　800　men…at…arms　gathered　round　the　Black　Prince；　while　the　Count　of　Flanders　attacked　on　the　other　flank。　Nobly　did　the　flower　of　English　chivalry　withstand　the　shock　of　the　French；　and　the　prince　himself　and　the　highest　nobles　and　simple　men…at…arms　fought　side　by　side。　None　gave　away　a　foot。
  In　vain　the　French；　with　impetuous　charges；　strove　to　break　through　the　mass　of　steel。　The　spear…heads　were　cleft　off　with　sword　and　battle…axe；　and　again　and　again　men　and　horses　recoiled　from　the　unbroken　line。　Each　time　the　French　retired　the　English　ranks　were　formed　anew；　and　as　attack　followed　attack　a　pile　of　dead　rose　around　them。　The　Count　D'Alencon　and　the　Duke　of　Lorraine　were　among　the　first　who　fell。　The　young　Count　of　Blois；　finding　that　he　could　not　ride　through　the　wall　of　steel；　dismounted　with　his　knights　and　fought　his　way　on　foot　towards　the　banner　of　the　Prince　of　Wales。　For　a　time　the　struggle　was　desperate；　and　the　young　prince；　with　his　household　knights；　was　for　a　time　well…nigh　beaten　back。
  Walter；　fighting　close　beside　the　prince；　parried　more　than　one　blow　intended　for　him；　and　the　prince　himself　slew　the　Count　of　Blois；　whose　followers　all　fell　around　him。　The　Coun