Upon king Philip's receiving the challenges from king Edward and his allies, he collected men at arms and soldiers from all quarters; he sent the lord Gallois de la Baume, a good knight from Savoy, to the city of Cambray, and made him governor there, in conjunction with sir Thibault de Marneil and the lord of Roye: they might be, including Spaniards and French, full two hundred lances. The king seized the county of Ponthieu, which the king of England had before held by right of his mother; and he also sent and entreated some lords of the empire, such as the count of Hainault his nephew, the duke of Lorrain, the count of Bar, the bishop of Metz, the bishop of Liege, not to commit any hostile acts against him or his kingdom. The greater part of them answered as he could have wished; but the count of Hainault, in a very civil reply, said that although he should be at all times ready to assist him or his realm against anyone, yet as the king of England made war in behalf of the empire, as vicar and lieutenant of it, he could not refuse him aid and assistance in his country, as he held lands under the empire. The king of France appeared satisfied with this answer, not however laying much stress on it, as he felt himself in sufficient strength to oppose his enemies.
As soon as sir Hugh Quiriel, sir Peter Bahucet, and Barbenoire, were informed that hostilities had commenced, they landed one Sunday morning in the harbour in Southampton, whilst the inhabitants were at church; Normans, Picards and Spaniards entered the town, pillaged it, killed many, deflowered maidens and forced wives; and having loaded their vessels with booty, they fell down with the tide, and made sail for the coast of Normandy. They landed at Dieppe, and there divided the plunder.