The king of England went from Mechlin went to Brussels to see the duke of Brabant: his people passed by without entering it. There a large body of Germans, at least twenty thousand men, joined the king, who asked the duke of Brabant what his intentions were - to go before Cambray or to desert his cause. The duke replied, that, as soon as he should know that Cambray was besieged, he would come thither with twelve hundred lances of good men at arms; which answer pleased the king much. The king took his departure, and lay that night at Nivelle; the next day he came to Mons, in Hainault, where he found the young count of Hainault and his uncle, who received him joyfully. The lord Robert d'Artois was always with the king, and of his privy council. He was attended by sixteen or twenty good barons and knights from England, whom he carried with him by way of state, and also as his council. The bishop of Lincoln was among them, who was much renowned in this expedition for his wisdom and valour. The English pushed forward, and lodged themselves on the roads in the flat countries through which they passed, and found provisions at hand for their money; but some paid and others not.
When the king had reposed himself two days at Mons, in Hainault, he came to Valenciennes, which he entered, taking with them but twelve knights. The count of Hainault was already arrived there, accompanied by the lord John, his uncle, the lord of Faguinelles, the lord of Verchin, and the lord of Havareth, with many others, who attended on the person of the count, their lord. The count took the king by the hand, and led him to the great hall, which was properly prepared to receive him, and as they were ascending the steps the bishop of Lincoln, then present, raised his voice and said, "William d'Aussone, bishop of Canbray, I admonish you, as proctor on the part of the king of England, vicar of the emperor of Rome, that you consent to open the gates of the city of Cambray, and if otherwise you shall do, you will forfeit your lands and we will enter by force." No reply was made, for the bishop of Cambray was not present. The bishop of Lincoln continued, and said, "earl of Hainault, we admonish you on the part of the emperor of Rome, that you come and assist the king of England, his vicar, before the city of Cambray, with all your forces." The earl made answer, and said "Willingly." They then entered the hall, and conducted the king to his chamber. Shortly after the supper was served up, which was sumptuous and splendid. The next day the king departed, and came to Haspre on the Selle. Having halted there two days, till the greater part of his forces had passed by, he set out and came before Cambray; when, having fixed his quarters opposite it, he surrounded with his army the whole city, his forces every day increasing.
The young earl of Hainault came thither with a large body of men, accompanied by his uncle, sir John, and they took up their quarters near to those of the king. They were followed by the duke of Gueldres, the marquis of Nuys, the earl of Mons, the earl of Sannes, the lord of Fauquemont, sir Arnold of Bacqueghen, and all the other lords of the empire, allies of the king, with their forces. On the sixth day after the king and these lords had taken their position before Cambray, the duke of Brabant arrived with a fine army: there were full nine hundred lances, without counting the other armed men, of whom there were numbers. He took up his quarters at Ostrenant upon the Scheld, over which a bridge was thrown for the communication of one army with the other. The duke of Brabant was no sooner arrived, than he sent his challenge to the king of France, who was at Compiègne; at which sir Lewis de Travehen, who had hitherto exculpated him, was so confounded, that he would not return to Brabant, but died of grief in France.
During the siege of Cambray there were many skirmishes and combats; sir John of Hainault, and the lord of Fauquemont, as usual, made their excursions together, and burnt and destroyed much of the country of Cambrensis. These lords, with five hundred lances, and a thousand other men at arms, came to the city of Oisy, in Cambrensis, and assaulted it so furiously, that it would have been taken, if the knights and squires within had not most valiantly defended it for the lord of Coucy, so that little damage was done, and these lords returned to their quarters. The earl of Hainault and his forces came one Saturday to the gates of St Quentin, and made a vigorous attack upon them. John Chandos, as yet but an esquire (of whose prowess this book will speak much), flung himself between the barrier and the gate, at the length of a lance, and fought very gallantly with an esquire of Vermandois, called John de Saint Dizier: each of them performed great deeds of valour; and the Hainaulters got possession by force of the barriers. The earl of Hainault and his marshals, sir Gerard de Verchin and sir Henry d'Antoing, were present, and advantageously posted, as well as many others, who ventured boldly in the pursuit of honour. The lords of Beaumont, Fauquemont, Anghein, sir Walter Manny, with their forces, were at a gate, called Robert's gate, upon which they made a brisk attack; but those of Cambray, and the soldiers whom the king of France had sent thither, defended themselves with such valour and skill, that the assailants gained no advantage, but retreated to their quarters well beaten and tired. The young earl of Namur came to serve under the earl of Hainault, according to his request, and said he would be of their party as long as they remained in the empire; but, the moment they entered France, he should go and join the king of France, who had retained him, and entreated him to do so. This was also the intention of the earl of Hainault, who had commanded his people, that none should dare to commit any acts of violence in the kingdom of France under pain of death.
Whilst the king of England was besieging Cambray with full forty thousand men at arms, and pressing it closely by different assaults, the king of France assembled his forces at Perrone, in the Vermandois. About this time the King of England called a council of those from his own country, and particularly sir Robert d'Artois, in whom he had much confidence, and demanded of them, whether it was best to enter the kingdom of France, and go to meet his adversary, or to remain before Cambray until he had taken it. The lords of England, and his privy councillors, seeing the city was strong and well provided with men, provisions, and artillery, and that it would take some time to conquer it - of which, however, they were not well assured, for no great deed of arms had yet been performed - that the winter was fast approaching, and that they were there at a very great expense, gave their opinion, that the king should push on into France; for he could find there plenty of forage, and a greater supply of provisions. This counsel was followed, and all the lords were ordered to dislodge and pack up their tents, pavilions, and baggage. They advanced towards Mont St. Martin, which is on the borders of France, and they marched very regularly by companies, each lord with his own people.
The earls of Northampton, Gloucester, and Suffolk, were the marshals of the English host, and the earl of Warwick was the constable of England. They easily passed the river Scheld, not far from Mont St. Martin, for it is not very wide at that place. When the earl of Hainault had accompanied the king of England as far as the boundaries of France he took his leave, saying he would not advance further with him at that time; for as he had been sent to, and his aid requested by king Philip, his uncle, whose ill will he wished not to incur, he would go serve him in France, as he had served the king of England in the empire. The king replied "God assist you." The earls of Hainault and Namur then turned back, and went to Quesnoy with all their troops; the earl of Hainault disbanded the greater part of his, but desired of them to hold themselves in readiness, for he should shortly go to the assistance of the king of France, his uncle.