The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1875-01-03
TIE MORNMG CATHOLIC AEssENGEH

fell on the glittering steel of their armor, and |
surrounded this peerless band as with glow
ing fire. The swords which hung dangling at |
their saddle-bows fell with q sharp and iron |
clsnk on the trappings of their steeds, pro-
ducipg peculiar sound, which seemed their |
fttest martial music. Next to these noble |
knights followed five thousand other horse |
men, with battle-axes and swords; and this |
picked troopwas accompanied by sixteen thou |
sand infantry, drawn up in three divisions !
The first consisted Of Thousand cross-bowmen; |
their defensive armor was simply breastplate |
of steel and a fat square helmet; small quivers
full of iron bolts were suspended at their gir- |
dies, and long swords hung at their side. The
second was composed of six thousand men
with clubs, studded at the end with horrible
steel points. The third was was made up of
"helm. cleavers" with their long axes; and all
these men were from Gascony, Languedoc and
Auvergue.
Messire James de Chatillon, the governor
general commanded the sixth band. 1t con-
sisted of three Thousand two hundred horse
On the banderoles of their spears they had
painted burning brooms, the emblems of the
purifcation of Flanders; and their horses
were the heaviest of the whole army. Then
followed the seventh and eighth bands; the
former under. command of John Count d'Au-
male, the latter under Messire Ferry of Lor
raine. Each was composed of two thousand
seven hundred horse, men of Lorraine, Nor
mandy and Picardy. These were followed by
Godfrey of Brabant with his own vassals, seven
| hundred horsemen, who formed the ninth
| band. The tenth and last was intrusted to
Guy de St. Pol he was charged with the pro-
lection of the rear and of the baggage. Three
| thousand four hundred horsemen Of all arms
rode in advance; then followed multitude of
| foot soldiers with bows and swords whose
| number might amount to seven thousand. On
every side ran men with blazing torches, in
order to set fire to everything within their
reach. Behind came the endless succession of
baggage wagons, with the tents and camp
furniture and stores
The French army, divided into ten bands,
and exceeding sixty-thousand strong, marched
slowly through the country, and took the road
to Courtrai. 1t is hard to conceive how far
this numerous host reached; the van was
already far out of sight the rear had left
the entrenchments. Thousands of banners
luttered in the breeze above the marching
! host, and the sun was reflected with lntoler-
able brightness from the armor of the valiant
bands. The horses neghed aud champed the
bit beneath their heavy burdens; from the
crash of arms arose q sound like the rolling OF
q stormy sea upon the strand bnt 1T was toe
monotonous to break the stiffness of the de
f serted fields. Wherever the troops had passed
8 the sky was ruddy with flame and obscured by
dense clouds of smoke. Not a habitation es
Q capped destruction neither man nor beast wai
), spared, as the chronicles of the time bea
: record. The following day, when the hame
o were spent, and the smoke dispersed, there wa
Y neither man, nor work or trace of man, to b.
d seen; from Lille to Douay and Courtrai. Elan
ders was so fearfully devastated that the Frencl
b Vandals might boast with reason that the
d had swept it as with bosom.
q Deep in the night the army of Messire dAI
g tois arrived before Courtrai. De Chatello
70 knew the country very well, for he had Ion
+. lived in the city; and he was accordipgl
D. summoned by the general to select a suitabl
n spot for encamping. After a short deliber;
rs ton, they turned little to the right, an
1T pitched their tents on the Pottelberg asd
re the adjacent fields. Messire d'Artois with tt
~ two kings and few distinguished knight
IN took possession of q castle called Hoog Mos
lie cher, close to the Pottelberg. They placed n
&c merous sentinels on guard, and then betoc
themselves in peace, and without suspicion,
of rest; for they were too confident in the
u numbers to entertain any apprehensions of E
re attack.
nd And thus the French army lay within
ng quarter of an hours march of the camp of Il
ol- guildsmen of Flanders: the advanced pickle
'm could see another slowly pacing up al
down in the gloom
I'd The FlemiDgs,- soon they had intel
ed genee of the approach of the foe, had doubl
cir their guard, and issued orders that no N;
ng should lie down to rest unarmed
cir CTo be contnued.)
ms