The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-01-17
asrnlug Star and Catholic Messenger.

npon the Leye, and cried:
"Flandersi the Lion Follow mel Follow
NOR
Repeating this cry, he hurled number of
Frenchmen into the marsh, and performed suoh
prodigies Of valor and strength, that the
Ylemipgs looked on him with awe as a super
natural being.
And now the courage Of the Flemings re-
vived with shouts of Joy they rushed forward
and emulated tho prowess of the golden knight.
The French conld no longer Withstand the on
sst of the dauntless sons of the Lion their
front ranks gave way and fed but they came
i'm collision with those who were behind them,
and tho rout became general. frightful
Islsughter began along the whole length Of the
zine. The Flemings pushed over heaps of
slain. The cry, "Noel Noel n was no longer
heard: /" Flanders! the Lion I" alone resounded
txiumphantly from every part of the field.
Brother William the monk, had dismounted
and was fighting on foot. He welded his
sword like o feather, and laughed to scorn
every fos who dared to esssil him. One would
have thought he was playing at some amusing
game, SO joyous was he and 30 full of jests. At
length he deserted Messire Louis dc Clermont
with his banner at little distance. "Flan-
Aersi the Lion r. shouted Brother William
ssthe banner ID minep He fell on tho ground
like ore dead, and crept on his hands and
knees between the horses legs, and suddenly
stood by the side Of Louis dc Clermont, as
though he had risen ont of the earth. Blows
Raned on him ON all sides, but he defended
himself 90 well that he received only few
sEiflipg scratches. At first the enemy did not
observe that the standard was the object of his
attack but suddenly he turned with the speed
of lightning, severed the arm of the standard
bearer at o stroke, and tore the fallen banner
In thousand pieces. i
. The monk would certainly have been slain,
bat At that moment began the general rout of
the French, and in d short time no found him
self surrounded by Fiemings, with the golden
knight at their head. Guy approached him
and hastily whispered to him: .a
40 Robeft,e my brother! how thank God
for sending you to our aid! You have deliver
ed ths--a-rS ts er
The golden knight returned no answer, but
interrupted him. by placing his finger his
nouth, as If to say, Silence it is q secret"
Adolf, too, had observed the sign, and bore
himself as though he did not recognize the
Count of Flanders. Meanwhile the French
were completing their own destruction. The
Faenaings pursued them closely, disPatohing
every fallen horseman with their clubs and
halberds. Horses and men were trampled
down into the moist ground the grass Of the
meadows was NO longer visible, nor the Groen-
hagen brook every whore were she ghastly
eeEpees of the slain. The cries Of the wounded
end dying mingled with the exulting shouts Of
tAe Fiemings, the flourish Of trumpets, the
clash Of swords upon the coats OF mail, and
asas dismal shrisks Of the dying horses. The
low rumbling Of volcano tho eve Of an
eraption may convey como faint notion of the
6errors Of that scene. q. - ts'1an lf
The town-olook of Courtrai struck nine ere
tho routed horsemeu Of De Nesle snd Do Cha
tillon reached the Seneschal d'Artois. Scarcely
had the first fugitives brought him tidings of
the defeat, when he resolved In his blind rage.
60 attack the Flennings with his still Numerous
reserve. It was all in vain that some of the
knights tried to sdissuade him followed by
his men, he dashed wildly through and over
tho crowd of fugitives The fury of their at
sack compelled Guy's army to fall back again
behind the Groenipgen brook for there the
eArcases of the horses formed q sort of breast
work, and impeded the action of cavalry.
Tho French knights could not keep their
footing on the slippery soil they fell over one
smother, and buried one another in the morass.
Messire d,Artois lost all selfoommand: with
sOme intrepid knights he sprang across the
brook, and fell on the ranks of the Ffemings.
After brief conflict, in which many Flemiugs
were slain, he succeeded In seizing the CREST
banner of Flanders, and tore . large piece of
Il away, with the front paw of the Lion on It,
A cry of rage ran through the Flemish ranks.
stStrike him dead strike him dead!' The
ssneschal strove with all his strength TO wrench
the standard from segher Lonke; but Brother
william. throwing away his sword, sprang to-
wards the horse of Messire d'Artois, threw HE
sinewy arms round the generate neck, hurled
him from his saddle, and both rolled together
30 the ground. The butchers had now come
mp, and Jan BreydOi, burning to avenge the
insults offered by Robert d'Artois to the stand.
ard Of Flanders, StruCk of his right arm at o
blow. Tho haplees seuesOhal saw that his end
was near, and ssked if there was no one of
-. n A., Ia ;,Hk