army, which included the young Prince Edward and many other noblemen,
passed through Normandy, burning and devastating land and property as
they went, and they advanced up the left bank of the Seine--their
object being, to cross the river at Rouen and then march on to Calais,
where they were to be joined by an army of Flemish archers. But their
plans received a sudden checkmate.

Philip, the King of France, was at Rouen before them, and had not only
encamped on the right bank of the river, but had destroyed the bridges
and set guards over all the fords of which the English might make use
in crossing.

The English were in a very dangerous position, whether they retreated
or went forward. They were separated from the Flemish allies by not
only the Seine, but the Somme River, and Philip with his army, which
was daily increasing in numbers, was marching towards Calais on the
right bank of the Seine, as were Edward and his army on the left bank.

Edward was as firm in his purpose to meet and defeat the enemy, as was
Philip in his, and Edward determined to press on at all odds and face
and conquer the French forces, and fortune favoured him.

With extreme difficulty, finally, at low tide, he was able to cross the
Somme whither Philip was eager to follow, but before Philip's forces
were ready to cross the river, the tide had turned, and he was obliged
to wait till morning, while Edward now already on the other side of the
river, was pressing forward into the country of Ponthieu, which had
been part of the marriage portion of his mother, Isabella of France. It
was for this special reason, some historians say, that King Edward
encamped there, in the forest of Crecy, fifteen miles from Abbeville,
saying:

"Let us take here some plot of ground, for we will go no further till
we have seen our enemies."

He also added:

"I am on the right heritage of Madam, my mother, which was given her in
dowry. I will defend it against my adversary, Philip of Valois."

We do not, of course, know his motives positively, but we may be pretty
sure that he would not have been so eager to defend his mother's
possessions, had he not felt sure that it would be to his advantage to
do so. Accordingly he and his forces encamped in the little village of
Crecy, behind which the ground rises into a broad ridge and from here
could be seen the surrounding country through which the French army
must advance, and the young prince eagerly strained his eye