, and on this he placed a crown, radiant with its
jewels, and he put over him a tunic adorned with the arms of France and
England. He mounted his horse, and proceeded to address his troops. The
French were commanded by the Constable of France, and with him were the
Dukes of Orleans, Burgundy, Berry, and Alencon, the Marshal and Admiral
of France, and a great assemblage of French nobility. Their force was
divided into three great battalions, and continued formed till ten
o'clock, not advancing to the attack. They were so numerous as to be
able to draw up thirty deep, the English but four. A thousand speared
horsemen skirmished from each of the horns of the enemy's line, and it
appeared crowded with balistae for the projection of stones of all sizes
on Henry's little army. Henry sent a part of his force behind the
village of Agincourt, where the French had placed no men at arms. He
moved from the rear of his army, unperceived, two hundred archers, to
hide themselves in a meadow on the flank of the French advanced line. An
old and experienced knight, Sir Thomas Erpingham, formed the rest into
battle array for an attack, putting the archers in front, and the men at
arms behind. The archers had each a sharp stake pointed at both ends, to
use against the French horse. Sir Thomas having completed his formation,
threw up his truncheon in the air, and dismounted. The English began the
attack, which the French had awaited, not choosing to give the advantage
as at Poictiers; but when they saw them advance, they put themselves in
motion, and their cavalry charged; these were destroyed by the English
archers. The French, frightened by the effect of the arrows, bent their
heads to prevent them from entering the vizors of their helmets, and,
pressing forward, became so wedged together as to be unable to strike.
The archers threw back their bows, and, grasping their swords,
battle-axes, and other weapons, cut their way to the second line. At
this period the ambushed archers rushed out, and poured their impetuous
and irresistable arrows into the centre of the assailed force, which
fell in like manner with the first line. In short, every part
successively gave way, and the English had only to kill and take
prisoners."

(L) The Duke of York commanded the van guard of the English army, and
was slain in the battle.

This personage is the same who appears in Shakespeare's play of King
Richard the Second by the title of Duke of Aumerle. His