Chapter XLIX

THE BATTLE OF CAEN.--THE ENGLISH TAKE THE TOWN.

On this day the English rose very early, and made themselves ready to march to Caen: the king heard mass before sunrise, and afterwards mounting his horse, with the Prince of Wales and Sir Godfrey de Harcourt (who was marshal and director of the army, and through whose advice the king had undertaken this expedition), marched forward in order of battle. The battalion of the marshals led the van, and came near to the handsome town of Caen.

When the townsmen, who had taken the field, perceived the English advancing with banners and pennons flying in abundance, and saw those archers whom they had not been accustomed to, they were so frightened that they betook themselves to flight, and ran for the town in great disorder, without regarding the constable and the men at arms who were with them. The English pursued them eagerly; which, when the constable and the Earl of Tancarville saw, they gained a gate at the entrance of the bridge in safety, and a few knights with them, for the English had already entered the town.

Some knights and squires of the French, who knew the road to the castle, made for it; and the governor, Sir Robert de Blargny, received them all. As the castle was very large, and plentifully victualled, those were safe that could get there.

The English, who were after the runaways, made great havoc; for they spared none. When the constable, and those that had taken refuge with him within the gate of the bridge, looked round them, and saw the great slaughter the English were making (for they gave no quarter), they began to fear lest they should fall into the hands of some of those archers, who would not know who they were. But they perceived a knight who had but one eye, named Sir Thomas Holland (whom they had formerly known in Prussia and Grenada), coming toward them, in company with five or six other knights: they called to him, and asked if he would take them as his prisoners. Sir Thomas and his company advanced to the gate, and, dismounting, ascended to the top, with sixteen others, where he found the above-mentioned knights, and twenty-five more, who surrendered themselves to Sir Thomas.

Having left a sufficient guard over them, he mounted his horse, rode through the streets, and prevented many acts of cruelty; as did also other knights and squires, to whom several of the citizens owed their lives. It was fortunate for the English that it was ebb-tide in the river, which admits large vessels, and the water very still, so that they could pass and repass beside the bridge. Those inhabitants who had taken refuge in the garrets flung down from them in these narrow streets stones, benches, and whatever they could lay hands on, so that they killed and wounded upwards of five hundred of the English; which so enraged the King of England, when he received the reports in the evening, that he ordered the remainder of the inhabitants to be put to the sword, and the town burnt. But Sir Godfrey de Harcourt said to him, “Dear sir, assuage somewhat of your anger, and be satisfied with what has already been done. You have a long journey yet to make before you arrive at Calais, whither it is your intention to go; and there are in this town a great number of inhabitants who will defend themselves obstinately in their houses, if you force them to it: besides, it will cost you many lives before the town can be destroyed, which may put a stop to the expedition to Calais, and that will not redound to your honor. Therefore be sparing of your men, for in a month’s time you will have a call for them; as it cannot otherwise happen but that your adversary King Philip must soon come to give you battle, and you may meet with many difficulties, assaults, and skirmishes, that will find full employment for the number of, and even more if we could get them. We are complete masters of the town, without any more slaughter; and the inhabitants, and all they possess, are at our disposal.” The king replied, “Sir Godfrey, you are our marshal: therefore order as you please; for this time we do not wish to interfere.”

Sir Godfrey then rode through the streets, his banner displayed before him, and ordered in the king’s name that no one should dare, under pain of immediate death, to insult or hurt man or woman of the town, or attempt to set fire to it. Several of the inhabitants, on hearing this proclamation, received the English into their houses; and others opened their coffers to them, giving up their all since they were assured of their lives. However, there were, in spite of these orders, many atrocious thefts and murders committed. The English continued masters of the town for three days. In this time they amassed great wealth, which they sent in barges down the river of Estreham to St. Saveur, two leagues off, where their fleet was. The Earl of Huntington made preparations, therefore, with the two hundred men at arms and his four hundred archers, to carry over to England their riches and prisoners. The king purchased from Sir Thomas Holland and his companions the Constable of France and the Earl of Tancarville, and paid down twenty thousand nobles for them.