1 1 6 Yew- Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 



felt the sharp arrows, they would in no wise go 

 forward, but drew aback and flung, and took on 

 so fiercely that many of them fell on their masters, 

 so that for press they could not rise again, in so 

 much that the marshals' battle could never come 

 at the prince.' And further: 'True to say, the 

 archers did their company that day great advantage, 

 for they shot so thick that the Frenchmen wist not 

 on what side to take heed.' 



In the narrative of the battle of Blanchetayne, or 

 passage of the Somme, which took place just before 

 that of Crec^y, Froissart says : * * The Frenchmen 

 defended so well the passage at the issuing out of 

 the water, that the English had much to do. The 

 Genoese did them great trouble with their cross- 

 bows. On the other side, the archers of England 

 shot so wholly together, that the Frenchmen were 

 fain to give place to the Englishmen.' 



The battle of Aljabarota in Portugal, which was 

 fought between the kings of Portugal and Spain, 

 the former being assisted by John of Gaunt with 

 an English force, while the king of Spain was 

 aided by volunteers from France and Beam, is thus 

 described by Froissart : 



' The same Saturday was a fair day, and the sun 

 was turned towards evensong. Then the first battle 

 came before Aljabarota, when the king of Portugal 

 and his men were ready to receive them. Of these 



1 Chronicles, 149. 



