The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1875-01-10

have been taken for the combined ehoutlngs Oh
o triumphant army; ON they rushed, trampling
down into the marsh those who had fallen,
needless of their deprecating cries. Scarcely
had the shrieks of those who frat sank died
away on the air, when they who had trodden
them under foot were in their turn overthrown
and trampled down by others; and SO the
death-wail was continued increasingly. The
companies in the rear, thinking that the action
was become general, spurred their horses on
towards the brook, and thus increased the
number of the victims of the senesehafs folly /
and imprudence.
As yet tho Flemings had made NO attack |
upon them they stood motionless and silent, |
gazing with wonder and awe on the dismal |
tragedy enacted before them. Their generals |
proceeded with more skill and more prudence; |
other warriors would have thought this the
fttest moment for a general attack, and so
would perhaps have crossed the brook and
| fallen on the French but Guy and John Bor-
| luut, his chief adviser, would not relinquish
| the advantage which their position gave them.
At length both the brooks were filled with
dead bodies of men and horses and Rodolf de
Nesle had the good fortune to force q passage
with about thousand horsemen. He formed
them in a close squadron, and shouted, France!
France! forward! forward"
They charged with furious intrepidity into
the centre of the Flemish troops; but the latter
planted their "good- days" firmly on the ground
and received the horsemen on the points of
these frightful weapons. A large number of
| the assaiIants were thrown from their horses
by ths-shock, and quickly dispatched. But
} Godfrey of Brabant, who had also crossed
! the brook with nine hundred horse, threw him
self with such impetuosity on the squadron of
William van Gulck, that he overthrow both
this and the three first divisions, and SO broke
o the line of the Flemings. And now began a
= terrible struggle the French horsemen had
i thrown away their spears, and rushed on the
: FIemings with their long battle-swords. The
latter defended themselves bravely with theiI
o clubs and halberds, and dismounted many 6
o horseman but still the advantage remalnec
10 with Godfrey of Brabant; his men had mace
u a clear space all around them, and there wa
thus q wide breach in the Flemish line
es Through this opening poured all the Frencl
I'd who had forded the brook, in order to fall ol
al the rear of the Flemish divisions. This was
7 critical and perilous maneuvre for the Flem
NJ ings ;-were the foe once on their front ant
he in their rear, they would have had no room
WELD their "good-days," and would have bee
m reduced to defend themselves with halberds
he given the French an immense advantage; fo
I'm being mounted, their blows were better Anne
'er and more deadly in effect; it was easy for the
ed to cleave the beads of those who fought G
he foot, or to strike them from their bodies.
eA William van Gulck fought like lion;
OH stood alone with his standard-bearer and Phil
ely van Hofstade, surrounded by thirty of tt
re' enemy, who strove to capture his banner b
| xrh had nj
md seize it had been severed by his sword. At til
ed, moment Arthur do Mertelet, a Norman knigl
,ss sprang oyer the brook, with considerat
ho number of horsemen, and dashed at full spe
'ur- towards William van Gulick. Their arri1
lish crushed the hopes of the Flemings; for
by number of the foe was now too great, and tn
fell superiority too manifest; and when the N
the man saw Williams banner, he charged towa
ady it with the speed of an arrow, and put
lance in rest to pierce the standard-beaI
had Philip van Hofstade, perceiviug his intenti
men dashed through the French foot-soldlers,
own stay the course of De Mertelet The shocf
bow the meeting of the two knights was 30 impe
him Gus, that the lance of each pierced the he
see of his antagonist warrior and horse were
ge one moment bereft of motion; it seemed
heir though preternatural influence had sudde
anks cooled their rage; one would have thou
Only each vas leaning on his spear with all
,g in weight, in order to thrust it deeper into
rned body of his antagonist; but this was but
calm moment: De Mertelet's horse made a Iii
ssing convulsive movement, and tie corpses of l
with fell to the ground.
n his Messire John van Renesse, who commar
oe of the right-wing, seeing the danger of Will
aim. van Gulick, left his position and, with Bre
o the and his guildsmen, fell back behind the lir
tling battle on the rear Of the French Not
from could resist men like the butchers Of Bru
le lay they exposed themselves to every weapon
creed naked breast, and before their death scor
essire valor everything gave way. Their axes h
blood. the legs of the horses, or clave the sku
aders their falling riders. A moment after the
army. rival, the ground was 80 cleared that sea-