The great army of fifty thousand soldiers has broken camp and set out, accompanied by the sounds of music and cheer, creating an air of festivity along with an unbearable clamor.
Count Hosman and his knights, clad in their brilliant armor, were the most striking colors of the troop. The knights, on their tall horses, dressed in new plate armor, while their squires marched beside them, holding vibrant banners. As they advanced, they sang aloud the ballad "The Lost Soldier Tom," a song well-known in the southern borders. The accompanying musicians played bagpipes and hand drums, their bright tones helping nearby troops identify the commander's location—musicians typically played like this every ten miles to prevent the army from falling into complete disarray.
