their archers, to be the more stronger; and on the Monday in the
morning the prince and his company were ready apparelled as they were
before, and about the sun-rising in like manner were the Frenchmen.
The same morning betimes the cardinal came again to the French host
and thought by his preaching to pacify the parties; but then the
Frenchmen said to him: 'Return whither ye will: bring hither no more
words of treaty nor peace: and ye love yourself depart shortly.' When
the cardinal saw that he travailed in vain, he took leave of the king
and then he went to the prince and said: 'Sir, do what ye can; there
is no remedy but to abide the battle, for I can find none accord in
the French king.' Then the prince said: 'The same is our intent and
all our people: God help the right!' So the cardinal returned to
Poitiers. In his company there were certain knights and squires, men
of arms, who were more favourable to the French king than to the
prince; and when they saw that the parties should fight, they stale
from their masters and went to the French host; and they made their
captain the chatelain of Amposte,[3] who was as then there with the
cardinal, who knew nothing thereof till he was come to Poitiers.

[3] Amposta, a fortress in Catalonia.

The certainty of the order of the Englishmen was shewed to the French
king, except they had ordained three hundred men a-horseback and as
many archers a-horseback to coast under covert of the mountain and to
strike into the battle of the duke of Normandy, who was under the
mountain afoot. This ordinance they had made of new, that the
Frenchmen knew not of. The prince was with his battle down among the
vines and had closed in the weakest part with their carnages.

Now will I name some of the principal lords and knights that were