were in number a threescore men of arms well horsed, and with them was
the lord Eustace d'Aubrecicourt and the lord John of Ghistelles, and
by adventure the Englishmen and Frenchmen met together by the foresaid
wood side. The Frenchmen knew anon how they were their enemies; then
in haste they did on their helmets and displayed their banners and
came a great pace towards the Englishmen: they were in number a two
hundred men of arms. When the Englishmen saw them, and that they were
so great a number, then they determined to fly and let the Frenchmen
chase them, for they knew well the prince with his host was not far
behind. Then they turned their horses and took the corner of the wood,
and the Frenchmen after them crying their cries and made great noise.
And as they chased, they came on the prince's battle or they were ware
thereof themselves; the prince tarried there to have word again from
them that he sent forth. The lord Raoul de Coucy with his banner went
so far forward that he was under the prince's banner: there was a sore
battle and the knight fought valiantly; howbeit he was there taken,
and the earl of Joigny, the viscount of Brosse, the lord of Chauvigny
and all the other taken or slain, but a few that scaped. And by the
prisoners the prince knew how the French king followed him in such
wise that he could not eschew the battle:[2] then he assembled
together all his men and commanded that no man should go before the
marshals' banners. Thus the prince rode that Saturday from the morning
till it was against night, so that he came within two little leagues
of Poitiers. Then the captal de Buch, sir Aymenion of Pommiers, the
lord Bartholomew of Burghersh and the lord Eustace d'Aubrecicourt, all
these the prince sent forth to see if they might know what the
Frenchmen did. These knights departed with two hundred men of arms
well horsed; they rode so far that they saw the great battle of the
king's, they saw all the fields covered with men of arms. These
Englishmen could not forbear, but set on the tail of the French host