The French reconnoitering parties found no way open to attack the
English unless under grievous disadvantages. The Cardinals of Tusculum,
St. John, and St. Paul endeavoured to negotiate terms of peace, and
commissioners on both sides met. The terms offered by Phillip were,
however, by no means so favourable as Edward, after his own victorious
operations and those of his armies in Brittany and Guienne, had a right
to expect and the negotiations were broken off.

The following day the French king sent in a message to Edward saying
that he had examined the ground in every direction in order to advance
and give battle, but had found no means of doing so. He therefore
summoned the king to come forth from the marshy ground in which he was
encamped and to fight in the open plain; and he offered to send four
French knights, who, with four English of the same rank, should choose
a fair plain in the neighbourhood, according to the usages of chivalry.
Edward had little over 30,000 men with him; but the same evening that
Phillip's challenge was received a body of 17,000 Flemings and English,
detached from an army which had been doing good service on the borders
of Flanders, succeeded in passing round the enemy's host and in
effecting a junction with the king's army. Early the next morning, after
having consulted with his officers, Edward returned an answer to the
French king, saying that he agreed to his proposal, and enclosed a
safe-conduct for any four French knights who might be appointed to
arrange with the same number of English the place of battle.

The odds were indeed enormous, the French being four to one; but Edward,
after the success of Cressy, which had been won by the Black Prince's
division, which bore a still smaller proportion to the force engaging
it, might well feel confident in the valour of his troops. His envoys,
on arriving at the French camp, found that Phillip had apparently
changed his mind. He declined to discuss the matter with which they were
charged, and spoke only of the terms upon which Edward would be willing
to raise the siege of Calais. As they had no authority on this subject
the English knights returned to their camp, where the news was received
with great disappointment, so confident did all feel in their power
to defeat the huge host of the French. But even greater was the
astonishment the next morning when, before daylight, the tents of the
French were seen in one great flame, and it was f