a port-town of Picardy in France, about 44 miles south of Calais, and 27 north-west of Abbeville, remarkable on account of the victory obtained there over the French by Edward III. of England, in the year 1346. E. Long. 2. O. N. Lat. 50. 20.

Edward having encountered and overcome many difficulties in his expedition, was at last so closely followed and harassed by the French army, commanded by the King of France in person, that he determined to make a stand at this place, and to give his pursuers a check. For this purpose he chose his ground with great judgment, on the gentle declivity of a hill, with a thick wood in his rear. He ordered deep entrenchments to be made on each flank, and waited with firmness the approach of his enemies. The King of France, dreading nothing so much as the escape of the English, began the march of his great army from Abbeville early in the morning, August 26, and continued it several hours with great eagerness, till he received intelligence that the English had halted at Cressy, and were prepared to give him battle. He was advised at the same time not to engage that day, when his troops were much fatigued with their march, and in great disorder; and he was disposed to have taken this advice. But the discipline of these times was so imperfect, that the orders given for halting were not obeyed; and one corps of this mighty host impelling another, they continued advancing till they came into the presence of their enemies in much confusion.

Edward had employed the forenoon of this important day in drawing up his army in the most excellent order, in three lines. The first line, which consisted of 800 men at arms, 4000 English archers, and 600 Welsh foot, was commanded by his young, amiable, and heroic son, the Prince of Wales, assisted by the Earls of Warwick and Oxford, and several other noblemen. The second line, composed of 800 men at arms, 4000 halberdiers, and 2400 archers, was led by the Earls of Arundel and Northampton; the last line, or body of reserve, in which were 700 men at arms, 5300 billmen, and 6000 archers, was ranged along the summit of the hill, and conducted by the King in person, attended by the Lords Moulbray, Mortimer, and others. When the army was completely formed, Edward rode along the lines, and by his words and looks inspired his troops with the most ardent courage and strongest hopes of victory. He then commanded the cavalry to dismount, and the whole army to sit down upon the grass, in their ranks, and refresh themselves with meat, drink, and rest. As soon as the French army came in view, they sprung from the ground, full of strength and spirit, and stood ready to receive them.

The King of France, assisted by the Kings of Bohemia, Crest, in armoury, denotes the uppermost part of an armory; or that part rising over the cask or helmet.—Next to the mantle, lays Guillim, the crest or cognizance claims the highest place, being seated on the most eminent part of the helmet; yet so as to admit an interposition of some ecrul, wreath, chapeau, crown, &c.

The ancient warriors wore crests to strike terror in their enemies, as the sight of the spoils of animals they had killed; or to give them the more formidable men, by making them appear taller, &c.

In the ancient tournaments, the cavaliers had plumes of feathers, especially those of ostriches and herons, for their crests; these tufts they called plumarts; and were placed in tubes, on the tops of high caps or bonnets. Some had their crests of leather; others of parchment, palfboard, &c. painted or varnished, to keep out the weather; others of steel, wood, &c. on which were sometimes represented a member or ordinary of the coat; as, an eagle, fleur-de-lys, &c., but never any of those called honourable ordinaries, as pale, fesse, &c. The crests were changeable at pleasure; being reputed no other than as an arbitrary device or ornament.

Herodotus attributes the rise of crests to the Carianians, who first bore feathers on their casks, and painted figures on their bucklers; whence the Persians called them coaks.

The crest is esteemed a greater mark of nobility than the armory, as being borne at tournaments; to which none were admitted till they had given proof of their nobility. Sometimes it serves to distinguish the several branches of a family. It has also served, on occasion, as the distinguishing badge of factions. Sometimes the crest is taken from the device; but more usually it is formed of some piece of the arms; thus, the emperor's crest is an eagle; that of Catile, a cattle, &c. Families that exchange arms, as the houses of Brunswick and Cologne have done, do not change their crests; the first still retain the horse, and the latter the mermaid.