They then marched off by the walls of Arras, but made no aflault, for they knew it would be loft cime. They came to Bray fur Somme *, where the two marfbals had a fharp engagement before the gates ; for there was a good garrifon within of ahle knights and fquires of Picardy, under the command of the vifeount de Meaux and fir Raoul de Rayneval. The canon de Robefart ftruck down three with his fpear before the gate, and the fkir-mifti was feverej but the French fo well defended the gates, that they loft nothing* The Englifh continued their march, following the courfe of the river Somme, which they thought to crofs between Ham, in Vermandois, and St. Quentin. Thus did this army advance under the command of the duke of Lancafter, according to orders from the king his father* The lord de Boudiers was at this tkne returning from Hainault into France, and arrived fo oppor-tunely at Ham that the inhabitants moft earrieftly entreated of him to remain there to affift them in defending their town againft the Englifh. He complied with their requeft, ftaying with them two days, during the rime the Englifh palled by, following the courfe of the river Somme, to enter the Vermandois and to crois the river at the nar-roweft part. When the lord de Bourfiers heard that the Eng-lifh had almpft all paffed, a#d that they were ad- Bray fur Somme,—-a village of Picardy, eie&ion of Pc-tooae. vancing «37