fair which was to be held near Alexandria, with a multitude of camels,
asses, and mules, and many carts, all richly laden with silks, precious
jewels, spices, gold, silver, and other commodities, besides provisions
and other matters of which the soldiers were then in great want. Without
giving notice of this to the rest of the Christian army, the earl
gathered all the English troops, and fell by night upon the caravan,
killing many of the people, and making himself master of the whole carts
and baggage cattle with their drivers, which he brought with him to the
Christian camp, losing only one soldier in the skirmish, and eight of his
servants, some of whom were only wounded and brought home to be cured.
When this was known in the camp, the Frenchmen, who had loitered in their
tents while the earl and his people were engaged in the expedition, came
forth and forcibly took to themselves the whole of this spoil, finding
great fault with the earl and the English for leaving the camp without
orders from the general, contrary to the discipline of war; though the
earl insisted that he had done nothing but what he would readily justify,
and that his intentions were to have divided the spoil among the whole
army. But this being of no avail, and very much displeased at being
deprived in so cowardly a manner of what he had so adventurously gained,
he made his complaint to the king; and being successfully opposed there
by the pride of the Count of Artois, the kings brother, who thwarted his
claims with disdainful spite, he declared that he would serve no longer
in their army, and bidding farewell to the king, he and his people broke
up from the army and marched for Achon[5]. Upon their departure, the
Count d'Artois said that the French army was well rid of these tailed
English; which words, spoken in despite, were ill taken by many good men,
even of their own army. But not long after, when the governor of Cairo,
who was offended with the Soldan, offered to deliver that place to the
French king, and even gave him instructions now he might best conduct
himself to accomplish that enterprize, the king sent a message in all