battle array, in order tofight with him according to his promife : others faid it would exhibit a lingular inftance of madnefs to fight, as they were not certain that fome treachery was not intended ; befides, if fortune ihould be unfavourable, the king « would run a great riik of lofing his kingdom, and if he ihould conquer his enemies, he would not be the nearer to gain poifeffion of England, or of the land of the allies. Thus the day paffed until near twelve o'clock in difputes and debates. . About noon a hare wasftarted in the plain, and ran among the French army, who began to make a great ihputing and noife, which caufed thofe in rear to imagine the combat was begun in the front, and many put on their helmets, and made ready their fwords. Several new knights were made, çfpecially by the earl of Hainault, who knighted fourteen, and they were ever after called knights of-the barç* In thisfituation the two armies remained aty Friday, without moving, except as has been mentioned. In the midft of the debates of the council, of the king of France, letters yftre brought to the king from Robert king of Sicily, addreffedto him and his council. This king .Robert was, as they^faid, a very great aftrologer ançl full of deçp fcience : he had oftçn caft the nativities of the kings of France and Eng* land, and had found, by his aftrologyand the influence of the ftars, that, if the king cf France fought with the king of England in perfon, he would furely be defeated j in confequence of which, he, as a wife king, arid much fearing the danger