The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1875-01-03

leave the camp Immediately. Farewell,
messires; We shall see one another again on |
the battle field. Meanwhile, may God have
you in His holy keeping"
With these words he left the tent, and called |
his eight hundred men together; and in q very |
short time one might have heard the sound OF
trumpets and the changing armor of depart |
ing band. The same evening he reached the
camp of the Flemings, and we may imagine |
with what joy he was received by them; for
he and his men haG the reputation of being
invincible, and, indeed, they had deserved it.
The French knights meanwhile had resumed
the interrupted banquet, and continued to
drink in peace. While they were discoursing
of Hugo's temerity, herald entered the tent
and inclined himself respectfully before the
knights. His clothes were covered with dust,
the sweat ran from bis brow, and everything
indicated that he had ridden in great haste
The knights looked at him with curiosity,
while he drew "a parchment from beneath his
armor, and said, as he gave it to the general:
"Messire, this letter will inform you that
| come from Messire van Lens at Courtrai, to re-
port to you the extreme peril we are in."
"Speak, them" cried dArtois impatiently;
"cannot Messire van Lens hold out the citadel
of Courtrai against a handful of foot tsolders 2"
"Permit me to say that you deceive your
| self, noble lord" replied the messenger. "The
Flemings have contemplate army in the
field; it has sprung up as if by magic; they
| are more than thirty Thousand strong, and
have cavalry and an abundant supply of pro-
visions. They-are constructing tremendous
| engines, in order to batter the citadel and take
it by storm. Our provisions and our arrows
are both exhausted, and We have already
! begun to devour some of our least valuable
horses. If Your highness shall delay but q
day to bring aid to Messire van Lens, every
Frenchman in Courtrai will perish, for there
i are no longer any means of escape. Measures
van Lens, de Mortenay and de Raycourt be-
seech you urgently to extricate them from this
peril"
| "Messires" cried Robert d'Artois, here is a
glorious opportunity we could have wished
for nothing better. The Flemings are all
| gathered together at Courtrai; we will fall
upon them where they are, and few of them
shall escape us; the hoofs of our horses shall
8 avenge eur wrongs on this vile and despicablt
people. You, herald, remain in the tent; to
morrow you shall return with us to Courtrai
Yet one toast more, measures; then go and ge
Q your troops in readiness for departure; WI
must break up encampment here with al
g haste"
a All now left the tent to obey the command
q of the general, and from every part of tn
t camp resounded the flourish of trumpets sum
Q moning the dispersed troops, the tramp o
horses, and the clash of armor a few hour
d later the tents were struck, and the baggage
wagons packed-all was in readiness. Her
= and there soldiers were occupied in plunderine
It but in large camp this excited no atten
1t tion. The captains placed themselves at th
II head of their companies, arranged the cavalr
70 two abreast and in that order they marche
n out of the entrenchments.
TIE first band, which left the camp wit
N banners flying, consisted of three thousan
al light cavalry, all picked men, armed with hug
be battle-axes, and carrying long swords hangin
w from the pommel of their saddles. These wei
IN followed by four thousand archers foo
n They marched onward in a dense mass, pr
tecting their faces from the rays of the ST.
1 with their largo square shields. Their quive
ny were full of arrows, and a short sword witho
IN a scabbard hung at their girdle They we
mostly from the south of France, but maj
'm were by nation Spaniards or Lombards. Jol
he de Barlas, their captain, a brave warrior, ro
so here and there between the ranks to encoura
he them and keep them in order.
@ The second band was under the command
Reginald de Trie, and consisted of three tho
on sand two hundred heavy cavalry. They we
en mounted on horses of unusual height a
ra- strength and carried each n broad aud hashi
rd- sword on his right shoulder; armor of imp
in shed iron protected their bodies. Most of th,
ls were from Orleans.
de Messire the Constable de Nesle led the th
ou. band First came Il troop of seven hundI
ter noble knights, with glittering armor on tn
of bodies, and graceful banderoles on their 10
Ier, spears their plumes fell waving behind tn
lis backs they rode, and their coats of ar
lis were painted in various colors upon th
on, arnor. Their horses were covered from he
sire to foot with iron, and, more than two hnndl
embroidered banners fluttered over the tro
wv 1t was truly the most brilliant band of knig
va that could be seen, even in that age. AT
than cana two thnnsand horseman. with b