f his
arrival and what deeds he had performed. The King inquired of the
citizens of Bruges after Jacob van Artevelde, and they told him he was
gone to the aid of the Earl of Hainault with upward of sixty thousand
men, against the Duke of Normandy. On the morrow, which was Midsummer
Day, the King and his fleet entered the port. As soon as they were
landed, the King, attended by crowds of knights, set out on foot on a
pilgrimage to our Lady of Ardemburg, where he heard mass and dined. He
then mounted his horse and went that day to Ghent, where the Queen was,
who received him with great joy and kindness. The army and baggage, with
the attendants of the King, followed him by degrees to the same place.

BATTLE OF CRECY

The two battalions of the marshals came, on Friday in the afternoon, to
where the King was, and they fixed their quarters, all three together,
near Crecy in Ponthieu. The King of England, who had been informed that
the King of France was following him, in order to give him battle, said
to his people: "Let us post ourselves here, for we will not go farther
before we have seen our enemies. I have good reason to wait for them on
this spot; as I am now upon the lawful inheritance of my lady mother,
which was given her as her marriage portion, and I am resolved to defend
it against my adversary, Philip de Valois." On account of his not having
more than an eighth part of the forces which the King of France had, his
marshals fixed upon the most advantageous situation, and the army went
and took possession of it. He then sent his scouts toward Abbeville, to
learn if the King of France meant to take the field this Friday,
but they returned and said they saw no appearance of it; upon which he
dismissed his men to their quarters with orders to be in readiness by
times in the morning and to assemble in the same place. The King of
France remained all Friday in Abbeville, waiting for more troops. He
sent his marshals, the Lord of St. Venant and Lord Charles of
Montmorency, out of Abbeville, to examine the country and get some
certain intelligence of the English. They returned about vespers with
information that the English were encamped on the plain. That night the
King of France entertained at supper in Abbeville all the princes and
chief lords. There was much conversation relative to war; and the King
entreated them after supper that they would always remain in friendship
with each other; that they would be friends wi