nearly noon
before
The king himself took up his position on a knoll of rising ground surmounted by a windmill , and twelve thousand men under his personal command were placed here in reserve . In the rear of the prince 's division an inclosure of stakes was formed ; in this , guarded by a small body of archers , were ranged the wagons and baggage of the army , together with all the horses , the king having determined that the knights and men-at-arms on his side should fight on foot . When the army had taken up its position , the king , mounted on a small palfrey , with a white staff in his hand , rode from rank to rank exhorting his soldiers to do their duty gallantly . It was nearly noon before he had passed through all the lines , and permission was then given to the soldiers to fall out from their ranks and to take refreshments while waiting for the coming of the enemy . This was accordingly done , the men eating and drinking at their ease and lying down in their ranks on the soft grass , with their steel caps and their bows or pikes beside them . In the mean time the French had , on their side , been preparing for the battle . Philip had crossed the Somme at Abbeville late on Thursday afternoon , and remained there next day , marshaling the large reënforcements which were hourly arriving .