Читать книгу The boy's Froissart - Froissart Jean - Страница 28

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KING PHILIP, soon after the departure of these lords, was informed of all that had passed, and how King Edward was to come to Tournay: he therefore determined to provide it so well with ammunition, &c., and with so many good knights, that the city should be well served and well advised. He sent directly to the city of Tournay the flower of his chivalry,—the Earl Raoul of Eu, Constable of France; the young Earl of Guines, his son; the Earl of Foix, and his brothers, the Earl of Aymery and Narbonne; the Lord Aymery of Poitiers; the Lord Geoffry of Chargny; the Lord Gerard of Montfaucon; his two marshals, the Lord Robert Bertrand, and Lord Matthew de Trie; the Lord of Caieux, seneschal of Poitou; the Lord of Chatillon; and Sir John of Landas,—who had with them many knights and esquires renowned in arms. The king entreated of them earnestly that they would pay so much care and attention to Tournay, that nothing unfortunate might happen; which they all promised him. They took leave of the King of France, left Arras, and arrived at Tournay, where they found Sir Godémar du Fay, who had been sent thither before them. He received them joyfully, as did those of the town; and, after having well examined the purveyances which were there, as well of artillery as of provision, they ordered great quantities of corn, oats, and other articles of food, to be brought into it from the country round about, so that the city was in a good state to hold out for a long time.

The King of England, when the time for being before Tournay approached, and the corn was nearly ripe, set out from Ghent, accompanied by seven earls from his own country, two prelates, twenty-eight bannerets, two hundred knights, four thousand men at arms, and nine thousand archers, without counting the foot-soldiers. He passed through the town of Oudenarde, crossed the Scheld, and encamped before Tournay, near St. Martin’s Gate, on the road to Lisle and Douay. Soon after came his cousin, the Duke of Brabant, with upward of twenty thousand men, knights and esquires, and the companies from the different towns. The Brabanters were encamped at Pontaries upon the Scheld, as you return from the fields by the gate Valentinois. The Earl of Hainault came with the fine cavalry of his country, with many Dutchmen and Zealanders, who attended upon his person as their lord. The earl was encamped between the King of England and the Duke of Brabant. Jacob von Artaveld came next with more than forty thousand Flemings, not reckoning those from Ypres, Poperingue, Cassel, and Bruges, who were ordered to another part, as you will hear presently. He was quartered near the gate St. Fontaine, on both sides of the Scheld, over which they had thrown a bridge of boats, that they might have free intercourse. The Duke of Gueldres, the Earl of Juliers, the Marquis of Blanckenberg, the Marquis of Nuys, the Earl of Mons, the Earl of Savines, the Lord of Fauquemont, Sir Arnold de Bacqueghen, and all the Germans, were stationed on the side toward Hainault, so that the city of Tournay was very completely surrounded. Each division of the army had open communication with each other; and no one could enter or come out of the city without permission, or without being seen.