Now let us speak of the king's battle. When he had sent his first
battle along by the sea-side, as ye have heard, whereof one of his
marshals, the earl of Warwick, was captain, and the lord Cobham with
him, then he made his other marshal to lead his host on his left hand,
for he knew the issues and entries of Normandy better than any other
did there. The lord Godfrey as marshal rode forth with five hundred
men of arms, and rode off from the king's battle as six or seven
leagues, in brenning and exiling the country, the which was plentiful
of everything--the granges full of corn, the houses full of all
riches, rich burgesses, carts and chariots, horse, swine, muttons and
other beasts: they took what them list and brought into the king's
host; but the soldiers made no count to the king nor to none of his
officers of the gold and silver that they did get; they kept that to
themselves. Thus sir Godfrey of Harcourt rode every day off from the
king's host, and for most part every night resorted to the king's
field. The king took his way to Saint-Lo in Cotentin, but or he came
there he lodged by a river, abiding for his men that rode along by the
sea-side; and when they were come, they set forth their carriage, and
the earl of Warwick, the earl of Suffolk, sir Thomas Holland and sir
Raynold Cobham, and their company rode out on the one side and wasted
and exiled the country, as the lord Harcourt had done; and the king
ever rode between these battles, and every night they lodged together.




OF THE GREAT ASSEMBLY THAT THE FRENCH KING MADE TO RESIST THE KING OF
ENGLAND