three o'clock
His faithful friends obeyed him , a number of knights arranged themselves around him , and lest they should lose him in the fight they tied their horses together by the bridles and charged down into the fray . Advancing directly against the banner of the Prince of Wales , the blind monarch was carried into the midst of the thickest strife . There the little group of knights fought gallantly , and after the battle was over the bodies of the king and his friends were found lying together , their dead horses still linked by the bridles . During this terrible battle , which had been raging since three o'clock , Philip had made strenuous efforts to aid his troops engaged in the front by continually sending fresh bodies to the assault . It was now growing dark , terror and confusion had already spread among the French , and many were flying in all directions , and the unremitting showers of English arrows still flew like hail among their ranks . As the king made his way forward , surrounded by his personal attendants , to take part himself in the fight , his followers fell thick around him , and his horse was slain by an arrow . John of Hainault , who had remained by his side during the whole day , mounted him upon a fresh horse and urged him to fly , as the day was lost .