¶ How the french kyng folowed the kyng of Englande in Beauuoy∣s••oys. Cap. C .xxvi. (Book 126)
NOwe lette vs speke of kyng Philyppe who was at saynt Denyse / and his peo∣ple aboute hym / and day••y encreased. ••hasie on a day he departed and rode so lon¦ge that he came to Copp••g∣ny du ••uyse / a thre leages fro Amyense▪ & there he taryed. The kyng of Englande beyng at A∣raynes wyst nat where for to passe the ryuer of Some / the which was large and depe / and all briges were broken and the passages well kept: than at the kynges cōmaūdement his two mar∣shals with. M. men of armes / and two. M. ar∣thers went a long y• ryuer to fynde some passag / and passed by Long pre / & came to the bridge of Atheny / the which was well kept with a gret nō bre of knyghtes & squyers / and men of the coun¦trey: the englysshmen a lyghted a fote / and as∣sayled the frenchmen from the mornynge tyll it was noone: but the bridge was so well fortify∣ed and defended / that the englysshmen depar∣ted without wynning of any thynge: than they went to a great to wne called Fountayns on the ••••uer of Somme / the which was clene robbe•• and brent for it was nat closed. Thā they went to another towne called Longe in Ponthieu / they coulde nat wynne the bridge it was so well kept and defended / than they de{per}ted and went to ••yqueny / and founde the towne / the bridge / and the castell so well fortifyed▪ that it was na•• lykely to passe there / the frenche kyng hadde so well defended the passages: to thentent that the kyng of Englande shulde nat passe the ryuer of Somme to fight with hym at his aduauntage or els to famysshe hym there. Whan̄e these two marshals had assayed in all places to fynde pas¦sage / and coude fynde none: they retourned a∣gayne to the king and shewed howe they coude fynde no passage in no place / the same night the frenche kynge came to Amyense / with mo than a hundred. M. men. The kynge of Englande was right pensyfe / and the next morning harde masse before the sonne rysinge / and than dy••••o∣ged: and euery man folowed the marshals ba∣ners / and so rode in the countrey of Uimewe / aprochynge to the good towne of Abuyle / and foūde a towne therby whervnto was come mo∣che people of the countrey / in trust of a lytell de∣fence that was there / but thenglysshmen anone wanne it / and all they that were within slayne and many taken / of the towne and of the coun∣trey. The kynge toke his lodgynge in a great hospytall that was there / the same day the fren∣che kynge departed fro Amyense / and came to Araynes about noone / and thēglysshmen were departed thense in the mornyng / the frenchmen founde there great prouisyon that the englyssh∣men had left behynde them / bycause they depar¦ted in hast: there they founde flesshe redy on the broches / brede and pastyes in the ouyns / wyne in tonnes and barelles / and the tabuls redy lay¦ed. There the frenche kyng lodged and taryed for his lordes / that nyght the kyng of England was lodged at Oysement: at nyght whan̄e the two marshalles were retourned / who had that day ouer ronne the countrey to the gates of Ab¦uyle / and to saynt Ualery / & made a greatskir∣mysshe there. Than the kynge assembled togy∣der his counsayle / and made to be brought be∣fore hym certayne prisoners / of the countrey of Ponthieu / and of Uymen: the kyng right cur∣tesly demaunded of theym / if ther were any a∣mong them that knewe any passage byneth Ab¦uyle / that he and his hoost might passe ouer the ryuer of Somme: yf he woldeshewe hym ther∣of he shulde be quyte of his raunsome / and .xx. ••••his company for his loue: ther was a varle•• 〈…〉〈…〉ed Gobyn a Grace / who stept forthe & sayde to the kyng: sir I promyse you on the ieopardy of my heed I shall bringe you to suche a place / where as ye and all your hoost shall passe the ry¦uer of Some without paryll / there be certayne places in the passage that ye shall passe .xii. men a front two tymes bytwene day and nyght / ye shall nat go in the water to the knees / but whan the fludde cometh the ryuer than waxeth so gret 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no man can passe / but whan the ••••udde is gon the whiche is two tymes bytwene day & nyght / than the ryuer is so lowe that it may be passed without danger / bothe a horsebacke and a fote. The passage is harde in the botom with whyte stones / so that all your caryage may go surely: therfore ye passage is called Blanch taque / and ye make redy to de{per}te be tymes / ye may be ther