[6] The text has suffered by omissions.  What Froissart says is that if the battle had begun in the morning, it might have gone better for the French, and then he instances the exploits of those who broke through the archers.  The battle did not begin till four o’clock in the afternoon.

      [7] ‘Que il laissent a l’enfant gaegnier ses esperons.’

      [8] i.e. ‘they repoined’:  Fr. ‘se reprisent.’

Sir Godfrey of Harcourt would gladly that the earl of Harcourt his brother might have been saved; for he heard say by them that saw his banner how that he was there in the field on the French party:  but sir Godfrey could not come to him betimes, for he was slain or he could come at him, and so was also the earl of Aumale his nephew.  In another place the earl of Alencon and the earl of Flanders fought valiantly, every lord under his own banner; but finally they could not resist against the puissance of the Englishmen, and so there they were also slain, and divers other knights and squires.  Also the earl Louis of Blois, nephew to the French king, and the duke of Lorraine fought under their banners, but at last they were closed in among a company of Englishmen and Welshmen, and there were slain for all their prowess.  Also there was slain the earl of Auxerre, the earl of Saint-Pol and many other.

In the evening the French king, who had left about him no more than a three-score persons, one and other, whereof sir John of Hainault was one, who had remounted once the king, for his horse was slain with an arrow, then he said to the king:  ’Sir, depart hence, for it is time; lose not yourself wilfully:  if ye have loss at this time, ye shall recover it again another season.’  And so he took the king’s horse by the bridle and led him away in a manner perforce.  Then the king rode till he came to the castle of Broye.  The gate was closed, because it was by that time dark:  then the king called the captain, who came to the walls and said:  ‘Who is that calleth there this time of night?’ Then the king said:  ’Open your gate quickly, for this is the fortune of France.’[9] The captain knew then it was the king, and opened the gate and let down the bridge.  Then the king entered, and he had with him but five barons, sir John of Hainault, sir Charles of Montmorency, the lord of Beaujeu, the lord d’Aubigny and the lord of Montsault.  The king would not tarry there, but drank and departed thence about midnight, and so rode by such guides as knew the country till he came in the morning to Amiens, and there he rested.

      [9] ‘C’est la fortune de France’:  but the better MSS. have
      ‘c’est li infortunes rois de France.’

This Saturday the Englishmen never departed from their battles for chasing of any man, but kept still their field, and ever defended themselves against all such as came to assail them.  This battle ended about evensong time.

HOW THE NEXT DAY AFTER THE BATTLE THE ENGLISHMEN DISCOMFITED DIVERS FRENCHMEN