Edward advances against them to Durham

Accounts soon reached the English king, that the Scots had broken into the northern counties; and instant orders were given for the host to arrange themselves under their respective banners, and advance against the enemy, on the road to Durham. The English army, according to Froissart, consisted of sixty-two thousand men, of which eight thousand were knights and squires, armed both man and horse in steel, and excellently mounted fifteen thousand lighterarmed cavalry, who rode hackneys; and fifteen thousand infantrys to these were added twenty-four thousand archers! The army was divided into three columns, or battles, all of infantry, each battle having two wings of heavy-armed cavalry of five hundred men.