['He hastily commanded the army to be formed into a square, in the front of which was a body drawn up in the form of a triangle ; and the carts and baggage were towards the rear, on the right and left of his army, handsomely arranged. Their horses were in the rear, on one of the wings, intermixed with their archers and crossbows; but these were of little value-except the English archers, who were better disposed of in other places. The Seigneur de Perivois, accompanied by his son, the Bishop, and some of his best companions in arms, posted himself, like a good commander, at the head of his army, fronting the enemy.

During this time the two Dukes began their advance, gaily exhorting their men to bear themselves gallantly against the enemy, a rude and ignorant people, who had rebelled against their lord, and who confidently trusted in their superior numbers for success; telling them that if they acted as their leaders expected, victory would be theirs without fail, and they would gain everlasting honour. When the Dukes had made such-like speeches, they retired to their posts, under their banners, and advanced slowly toward the enemy, who kept up a heavy fire against them with their guns. . . .

....

'When the two armies met, the conflict became very severe on each side, and lasted for upwards of an hour, wherein many deadly blows were given by both parties. At this moment, the detachment on horseback, with their infantry, according to their orders, advanced towards the rear of the Liègeois; but from the position of the baggage waggons they had much difficulty in forcing their way. At length, by dint of courage, they succeeded, and having gained an entrance, began to lay about them so vigorously that the army of the enemy was cut in two, and they saw full six thousand Liègeois quit their ranks, with their guns and the banners of their guilds, and take flight with all speed towards a village half a league from the field of battle. When the detachment perceived this, they left off the attack they had begun, and pursued the runaways, whom they charged, not once but several times, beating down and slaying them without mercy; and, in short, routed them so effectually that through fear of death they fled here and there into woods and other places to hide themselves.'-Monstrelet.]

Franck, after perhaps a little thrilling mixture of pain and pleasure such as a man feels in his first combat, sang out presently, Our Lady for Borsellen' as loud as the rest, and laid about him with his sword, striking and stabbing and demeaning himself like a gallant young bachelor.

A thousand big varlets on foot, and the five hundred horsemen, had altogether despatched this flying body of Liègeois (there were

about six thousand of these unhappy men, nor did their adversaries lose a score of theirs in killing them), and the enemy being despatched, horse and foot were falling to plunder, when the Seigneur de Croy rode up to the leaders in a great heat, shouting to them: Gentlemen, gentlemen, we have lost much precious time; our business was not with this column of fugitives, but with the main body that still keeps its ground yonder, and that we were bidden to take in flank. Set upon them, then, in the name of all the saints, and leave the plunder until the day be over.'

'Messire de Croy says true,' said the knight of Castel-Sarrasin; 'gather your lances, Messire de Borsellen; and you, my young bachelor, make ready to kill some more of these hogs of Liège.'

'Here is a very fat one that I have stricken down,' said the young man, whose courage was up, and who felt himself longing for more blood. Look what a blow I have dealt the knave across the neck as mine is a good sword, Messire Tristan, and my horse has as much courage as his master.'

'In faith, the boy struck about him like a man,' said Jehan, clapping his brother on the shoulder.

'He need not be a Hector of Troy,' answered Sir Tristan, to stick runaway boors and tailors in the back.'

Here one of the men that Franck had cut down, and who was lying close by the gentleman with a great gash in his throat from which issued a stream of gore, turned suddenly round and flung out his arms wildly, and cried out Jesus!' and fell back stark dead.

The Gascon gentleman seeing his case, bid a varlet get him a gourd of water that one of the slain men wore at his back, and as Franck drank from it he said to him, 'My worthy young bachelor, it is ill for young men to boast of their deeds of arms; let them only speak of them who have good reason to boast. See now, you can kill this poor tailor, and yet cannot bear to see him die: keep your sword, Messire Franck, for nobler enemies. See you now, here, I have never drawn mine from the sheath.'

A peace to your talk, Sir Knight,' shouted Jehan, and don't dishearten the boy; he has acted to the best of his power, as he saw his brother do. I have slain to my own hand seven of these dogs, and if I or the rest of our troop had ridden with sheathed swords I should like to know where would these caitiffs have been now?'

They would have fled as they were minded, and we half an hour since on the backs of the Liègeois, as we were bidden.'

'In faith, sir, you say right,' answered John, who was a good

soldier; and so let us get our people together and do as the Sire de Croy orders.'

'It was he that led us into the scrape,' muttered Sir Tristan, ' and would not listen to the word of an old soldier.'

The troop was gathered together as well as possible; those of the other commanders were assembled in a similar way; and all set forward to attack the main body of the Liègeois that they could see on Hasbain hill a mile distant, with their flags still planted where they had been when the action began. The cannon were, however, silent; for the men of Burgundy were hand to hand with the men of Liège, and it was impossible to fire without wounding indiscriminately one and the other.

As Franck rode on with his brother, he felt as if he would willingly give up his sword and return to that cloister that his mother designed for him, for the dead man's eyes were still staring at him, and his last word of despair ringing in his ears.

But in ten minutes they came within arrow-shot of the men on the hill . . .

[' . . . Who, it must be said, defended themselves courageously. In truth, the event of this battle was some time doubtful, for during one half-hour it could not be known which side would be victorious. The noise of their war-cries was frightful: the Burgundians and Hainaulters under their banners shouted "Our Lady for Burgundy!" "Our Lady for Hainault !" and the Liègeois in their turn shouted "St. Lambert for Perivois!" The men of Liège would perhaps have conquered if this detachment on horseback, when returned from the defeat of the runaways, had not again fallen on their rear, and behaved so marvellously well; then those who opposed them were pierced, and all attempts to check them were in vain. A great slaughter was made by them in a short time, for none were admitted to ransom; and by their vigour, whole ranks fell, one over the other, for now all the weight and power of the infantry were also brought against them.

The defeat once begun, there were such heaps of dead and wounded that it was melancholy to behold, for they were in many places thicker than stooks of corn in harvest. At this period of the battle, and near to the banner of the Duke of Burgundy, where the conflict was the strongest, fell the Seigneur de Perivois and his two sons—namely, the one who had been elected Bishop of Liège, and his brother; they were instantly put to death. Many other knights and squires to the number of upwards of five hundred, all the English archers, and about twenty-eight thousand of the commonalty, were left dead on the field, and more perished

by arrow-shots than by any other weapon.. I have no need to describe particularly the great courage and coolness of the Duke of Burgundy, nor how he galloped to different parts of the army, exhorting them to act well, nor how until the end of the battle he most gallantly behaved himself; for in truth his conduct was such that he was praised and spoken of by all knights and others; and although he was frequently covered with arrows and other missile weapons, he did not on that day lose one drop of blood. When he was asked, after the defeat, if they should cease from slaying the Liègeois, he replied, Let them all die together, for I will not that any prisoners be made, or that any be ransomed.'

In the like gallant manner did Duke William, the other Princes, and in general the whole body of the chivalry and nobility of the two Dukes, behave themselves. There were slain from five to six hundred of their

men.

'On Monday, the morrow of the battle, about the hour of twelve, John of Bavaria, Bishop of Liège, . . . came to the camp of the two Dukes, and most humbly thanked them for the succour they had afforded him. He and his party were received with much joy, and he was presented, on his arrival, with the head of the Seigneur de Perivois, which had been found, with his two sons, among the dead, and was fixed on the point of a lance, that all who pleased might see it.'-Monstrelet.]