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THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
AND HIS CREST AND PLUME WERE BORNE AWAY ON THE I'OINT OF HIS ADVERSARY'S 
 
 LANCE 
 
STORY OF BAYA 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 AMY G, ANDREWES 
 
 WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BY 
 
 V. LECOMTE 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 JOHN LANE COMPANY 
 
 MGMX 
 

 This Edition is founded on the 
 •* Histoire du Bon Chevalier Bayard, 
 by the ^^ Loyal Sei-viteurJ" 
 
 WAR 5 till 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAP. PAGE 
 
 I. THE BOY'S CHOICE - . . . . . I 
 
 IL THE PAGE II 
 
 III. TOUCHING THE SHIELDS I9 
 
 IV. IN GARRISON IN PICARDY 29 
 
 V. FORNOVO — AND AFTER 37 
 
 VI. CAPTURED AT HILAN 47 
 
 VII. THE DUEL $7 
 
 VIII. THE COMBAT OF THE THIRTEEN . . . 66 
 
 IX. THE BRIDGE 73 
 
 X. BEFORE PADUA . . . . . . .82 
 
 XI. THE END OF THE SIEGE . . . . . QI 
 
 XII. BAYARD AND POPE JULIUS lOO 
 
 XIII. THE ASTROLOGER . . . . . . . HO 
 
 XIV. THE LADIES OF BRESCIA I18 
 
 XV. RAVENNA I27 
 
 XVI. HENRY VIII. . , . . . . . . 136 
 
 XVII. FRANCIS I. , .144 
 
 XVIII. THE DEATH OF BAYARD . . . • 1 54 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 AND HIS CREST AND PLUME WERE BORNE AWAY ON 
 THE POINT OF HIS ADVERSARY'S LANCE 
 
 Frontispiece 
 
 FACING PAGE 
 
 WHEN HE FELT THE NOBLE ANIMAL BOUNDING UNDER 
 
 HIM, HIS COURAGE ROSE EVEN HIGHER . . ^ 
 
 AGAIN THE ORDER WAS GIVEN, " PIQUE, PIQUE ENCORE 
 
 UN coup" 17 
 
 BAYARD, WHO HAD KEPT HIS PONIARD IN HIS HAND 
 DURING THE WHOLE COMBAT, PIERCED HIM WITH 
 IT TO THE BRAIN, CRYING " SURRENDER ! " . . 65 
 
 "l WOULD GIVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND FLORINS TO 
 
 HAVE A DOZEN SUCH AS YOU ! " - . . ■ 9© 
 
 "YOU WILL BE RICH IN HONOUR AND IN VIRTUE, 
 ABOVE ALL THE CAPTAINS OF FRANCE, . . . BUT 
 YOU WILL DIE IN WAR WITHIN TWELVE YEARS 
 AT THE latest" II3 
 
 "SIRE, I DO NOT OWN THAT, AND I WOULD LAY THE 
 
 MATTER BEFORE THE EMPEROR AND YOURSELF '' . 143 
 
 WHEN HE FELT THE BLOW, HE CRIED ''JESUS!" AND 
 
 THEN ''HELAS! MON DIEU, JE SUIS MORT" • . I56 
 
 Vll 
 
THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 THE BOY^S CHOICE 
 
 ATO namC; apart from legend, better conveys 
 -*- ^ the idea of knightly courage and chivalrous 
 honour combined with purity of life, than that of 
 Bayard ; but possibly there are some who do 
 not know very much more of him than his 
 general character, and his well-known motto— 
 '^ Without fear and without reproach." 
 
 Let us then try to very simply tell some 
 portions of his story, just pausing to remark 
 how we get these particulars of his life and 
 adventures. They are recorded by a man who 
 calls himself his '' Loyal Serviteur," a man who 
 sa3''s so little of himself in his anxiety to hand 
 down his master's unblemished character to 
 posterity, that we do not even know his name 
 for certain. We do know that he was Bayard's 
 secretary, and probably a soldier also, perhaps 
 an archer, and his name is thought to have been 
 
2 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 Jacques de Mailles. Many in his place would 
 have been tempted to speak of themselves, 
 especially as no doubt he did share in many of 
 the warlike scenes he describes. Not so the 
 ^' Loyal Serviteur ; " he is content to efface him- 
 self, if only his master is appreciated. 
 
 One other thing we must remember. It was 
 the age of Chivalry still, the age of brave knights 
 and fair ladies, of jousts and tournaments, and 
 not only that, but the knights (or chevaliers) 
 still recognized they were bound amongst other 
 things, ''to speak the truth, to maintain the 
 right, to protect the distressed, to practise 
 courtesy, and to vindicate their honour in 
 every perilous adventure." No doubt many 
 failed to carry out these rules, and there was 
 much of cruelty and violence ; for while most 
 knights were sans peur, few were entirely sans 
 reproche. Now no one better illustrates the 
 good and noble side of Chivalry than Bayard, 
 the Good Chevalier. 
 
 We must go back to the year 1489, or there- 
 abouts, when Charles VIII. was King of France, 
 and Henry VII. King of England. In the old 
 frontier province of Dauphiny and some few 
 miles from Grenoble, an ancient and noble 
 family lived in the Castle of Bayard. Their name 
 was du Terrail, Bayard being only a ''place- 
 name " from the Castle and estates of Bayard. 
 
THE BOY'S CHOICE 3 
 
 The du Terrails were a fighting race, though 
 at the time we are speaking of, the head of the 
 family was over eighty, and had been so severely 
 wounded in battle that he could not now leave 
 his Castle. Five generations before him had 
 fallen on the field of battle, one at Poitiers and 
 one at Agincourt. Little wonder therefore that 
 this old man often spoke of the daring deeds of 
 bygone times to his four young sons. George, 
 his eldest son, was about nineteen, and Pierre 
 (the subject of this history) was rather over 
 thirteen, when the Lord of Bayard called them 
 and also his two younger sons into his presence. 
 Their mother, a most ^' godly and devout " lady 
 was with him. Then the eldest son was asked 
 what he wished to be, as his father was anxious 
 to know before he died, and he felt that death 
 was not far off. The answer was to the effect 
 that he wished never to leave home, but to serve 
 his father to the end of his days. 
 
 ^' Ah well ! " said the father. '' George, since 
 thou lovest home, thou shalt remain to combat 
 with our daily life." 
 
 Then it was Pierre's turn, who stood by 
 smiling, awaiting no doubt the question, for he 
 instantly replied in a speech which must have 
 been prepared beforehand, ending with the 
 words — 
 
 '' I will be, if it please you, in the same estate 
 
4 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 in which you and your ancestors have been, and 
 follow the pursuit of arms. For it is the one 
 thing in this world that I most desire ; and I 
 trust, by God's help, to bring you no dishonour." 
 
 His father was affected almost to tears at his 
 choice, and prayed God to bless him. He told 
 Pierre he was like his grandfather, who was one 
 of the most accomplished knights in Christendom, 
 and that he would endeavour to help him to his 
 desire. 
 
 The two younger boys both chose to become 
 Ecclesiastics. Of these we shall not hear again, 
 but follow the fortunes of Pierre only. 
 
 We can imagine how the old Lord of Bayard 
 would turn it in his mind how best he could help 
 the son who had chosen his own profession of 
 arms ; so the next day we find him sending over 
 to his brother-in-law, the good and wise Bishop 
 of Grenoble, to beg him to come and see him, 
 for he had many things to say to him. The 
 Bishop, who never delayed if he could give 
 pleasure to others, set off almost as soon as he 
 got the summons, and found his brother-in-law 
 sitting by the fire. Several other gentlemen of 
 Dauphiny joined them, but nothing seems to- 
 have been settled that night except the pro- 
 ceedings of the next day. 
 
 The following morning the Bishop chanted 
 Mass, and after that the party placed themselves 
 
THE BOY^S CHOICE 5 
 
 at table, where, according to the custom in noble 
 houses at that time, the sons assisted to serve, 
 Pierre performing his part so carefully and 
 diligently that all the guests remarked on it. 
 When dinner was over and grace had been said, 
 the Lord of Bayard addressing the company 
 said— 
 
 *' God has given me four sons ; of each one 
 have I inquired what he would wish to be. My 
 son Pierre has told me that he will follow the 
 career of arms ; the which has given me strange 
 pleasure. ... It is needful for me to place him, 
 as a beginning, in the household of some prince 
 or lord, that he may there learn to behave 
 himself with courtesy and, when more advanced 
 in years, may learn the use of arms. I therefore 
 do entreat each one of you to give me counsel 
 in his behalf as to whom I may best place him 
 with." 
 
 Then followed various pieces of advice. One 
 said that he must be sent to the King of France ; 
 another that he should be attached to the House 
 of Bourbon. Every one recommended some 
 different course. The Bishop of Grenoble spoke 
 last, and he advised placing Pierre with Duke 
 Charles of Savoy. Savoy was a neighbouring 
 province, and they were all faithful adherents of 
 the Duke, who was at that time at Chambery 
 not far distant, and who he believed would 
 
6 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 consent to take the boy as his page. And then 
 the good uncle gave not only advice, but very 
 prompt and practical help; for, said he, in 
 conclusion — 
 
 '' If it seem good to you and to the company, 
 I will conduct him there at morn to-morrow, 
 after having well equipped him with a good and 
 serviceable horse, the which I purchased but a 
 few days since from the Lord of Uriage." 
 
 This suggestion was approved by all those 
 present, and by none more than the Lord of 
 Bayard, who, placing his son before the Bishop, 
 said — 
 
 ^' Here, my Lord, and I pray to God the boy 
 may do you honour throughout his life." 
 
 What Pierre felt at the arrangements made 
 for him is not recorded; perhaps it can be 
 imagined. Then the Bishop (who evidently was 
 not one to do things by halves) sent messengers 
 to Grenoble to summon a most important 
 personage, namely a tailor, who was to bring 
 velvet and satin and proper materials to make 
 the necessary equipment for a page. Very hard 
 that tailor had to work, but by sitting up all 
 night, everything was in readiness by the next 
 morning. 
 
 Accordingly after breakfast all the gentlemen 
 of the company assembled in the inner court of 
 the Castle to see Pierre present himself on 
 
WHEN HE FELT THE NOBLE ANIMAL BOUNDING UNDER HIM, HIS COURAGE ROSE 
 
 HIGHER 
 
THE BOY'S CHOICE 7 
 
 horseback, in the same manner as he hoped to 
 present himself to the Duke of Savoy. The 
 horse was no doubt a spirited one, and capari- 
 soned after the cumbrous fashion of that time, 
 and the young rider in his new suit and spurs 
 might well have found it hard to sit him. More- 
 over, the horse finding he had such a light 
 weight on his back, and being pricked with the 
 spurs, plunged violently four or five times, so 
 that the spectators feared the boy would be 
 unseated, and quite expected him to cry out for 
 help. But instead of that, when he felt the noble 
 animal bounding under him, his courage rose 
 even higher, and he used his spurs to compel 
 it to circle round the court several times, ending 
 by ^^ bringing it to reason." 
 
 The old Lord could not conceal his joy and 
 pride, and asked his son smilingly if he felt no 
 fear, he who but fifteen days before had been at 
 school. To which Pierre replied with much 
 assurance that he hoped with God's help before 
 six years had passed to be able to guide a horse 
 in more dangerous places against enemies; 
 here, he was only among friends. 
 
 ^'Now come, come," said the Bishop of 
 Grenoble, who was ready to depart, '' my friend 
 and nephew, dismount not, but take thus fare- 
 well of all the company." 
 
 After a formal little speech to his father and 
 
8 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 receiving his blessing, he took leave of all those 
 there assembled; each one in turn, and they all 
 saw with pleasure his happy countenance. But 
 in the meantime his poor mother, though she 
 rejoiced at the prospect that lay before her son, 
 was weeping for sorrow at losing him, in one of 
 the towers of the Castle. However, when a 
 message was brought to her, that he was 
 mounted and ready for departure if she wished 
 to see him before he left, she showed great 
 presence of mind, and neglected nothing that 
 might help him. She left the tower, and 
 advancing to meet him, thus addressed him — 
 
 ^'Pierre, my child, you are going into the 
 service of a noble prince — I command three 
 things of you. The first is, that above all things 
 you shall love and fear God's service. Neither 
 offend Him if it be possible ; for it is He That 
 created us all, it is He That makes us live, it is 
 He That saves us, and without Him and His 
 grace we are unable to do one good thing in 
 this world. Each night and each morning 
 recommend yourself to Him, and He will assist 
 you. The second is, that you are gentle and 
 courteous unto all men, keeping yourself from 
 all pride. Be humble and useful to all men. Be 
 neither a liar nor a slanderer. Be sober both 
 in eating and drinking. Fly from envy, for it 
 is an ugly vice. Be neither a flatterer nor a 
 
THE BOY'S CHOICE 9 
 
 tale-bearer. ... Be loyal in word and deed. Be 
 a man of your word. Help poor widows and 
 orphans, and God will reward you. And thirdly, 
 that with the goods that God gives to you, you 
 show charity to the poor and needy ; for giving to 
 God's honour impoverishes no man ; and believe 
 me, my child, that such charities will profit you 
 both in body and in soul. That is all wherewith 
 I charge you. I much think that your father 
 and I will not live long time further. May God 
 give us at least the happiness whilst we live of 
 always hearing good tidings of you." 
 
 Excellent advice, and though possibly at the 
 time any delay may have chafed the ardent spirit 
 of the future page, yet we may be sure he laid 
 the advice to heart, and allowed no symptoms 
 of impatience to appear in the little speech in 
 which he thanked his mother humbly for her 
 good teaching, which he hoped to follow faith- 
 fully by the grace of God, so as to content her. 
 Then recommending himself most humbly to 
 her good graces, he bade her farewell. 
 
 The good lady showed she could not only 
 give wise counsel, but was as practical as her 
 brother the Bishop of Grenoble ; for she drew 
 out of her sleeve a little purse, which contained 
 but six crowns in gold, and one in silver, 
 probably all she had to spare, and presented 
 it to Pierre. Then she called one of the Bishop's 
 
10 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 attendants, and gave him a small box packed 
 with linen for her son's use, and begged him to 
 put it in the charge of the servant of the esquire 
 under whom he should be placed, and provided 
 two crowns to be given to this servant. How 
 like many and many a mother since, who has 
 packed her son's wardrobe for his first start in 
 life with tearful eyes and an anxious heart ! 
 
 At this moment the Bishop having taken 
 leave of all, called his nephew to mount — for he 
 must have dismounted when his mother spoke 
 to him — and Pierre sprang again upon his horse 
 in the highest spirits, believing himself '' in 
 Paradise." 
 
 It was a Saturday, rather after mid-day, when 
 they started from the Castle of Bayard, taking 
 the straight 'road into Chambery, the capital of 
 Savoy, where Duke Charles held his Court. 
 The distance was not very great, for Chambery 
 was reached that same evening. 
 
 The Bishop, and no doubt Pierre, lodged at 
 the house of a well-known citizen, but the 
 would-be page was not presented to the Duke 
 till the following day. So here let us leave him, 
 full of hope and courage and virtuous resolves, 
 which in his case were destined to blossom forth 
 into heroic deeds and virtuous actions. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 THE PAGE 
 
 n^HE travellers having left the Castle of Bayard 
 -^ in good time on that eventful Saturday in 
 Pierre's existence were able to reach Chambery 
 before nightfall, Chambery being in the diocese 
 of Grenoble, the Bishop was met by his clergy 
 and conducted by them into the city and to his 
 lodgings at the house of a ''notable citizen." 
 
 Duke Charles I. of Savoy was then in his 
 capital; he had been informed of the Bishop's 
 arrival; and the next morning, when the latter 
 went to the Court to pay his reverence, he was 
 received with all honour. When he performed 
 Mass the Duke was present, and in the course 
 of the day they dined together. During the 
 repast Pierre, in his capacity of page, served his 
 uncle with wine, and the Duke asked who his 
 young attendant was. 
 
 "Sir," replied the Bishop, ''he is the man- 
 at-arms I desire to present to you, but he is 
 not now prepared for the introduction." 
 
 II 
 
12 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 The Duke signified his assent; and the 
 moment the dinner was ended Pierre (having 
 been previously warned by his uncle) rushed 
 away regardless of the dainty morsels which 
 would have fallen to his share when his betters 
 were served. He saddled his well-groomed 
 charger, and properly equipped he mounted 
 and rode at a slow pace into the courtyard of 
 the palace where the Duke was then sitting in 
 a gallery looking down on him. The Bishop 
 must have noted with pleasure the admiring 
 surprise with which Duke Charles watched the 
 boy, who indeed looked little more than a child, 
 manage his horse with an ease and grace which 
 many a full-grown man might have envied ; and 
 no doubt he replied with some pride to the 
 question as to whether the youthful horseman 
 was his protege. 
 
 ^'Yes, my Lord, he comes of a race of noble 
 knights. His father cannot come before you 
 himself on account of his age and the effects of 
 wounds received in many battles. He humbly 
 presents his son to you and recommends him 
 to your kindness." 
 
 The Duke accepted the present most willingly, 
 and ordered one of his esquires of the stable to 
 take young Bayard under his care, prophesying 
 that he would one day turn out well. 
 
 Six months passed, and never was page more 
 
THE PAGE 13 
 
 successful in his opening career. He excelled 
 in horsemanship, in jumping, wrestling, and 
 putting the stone, and moreover, he was loved 
 by every one, lords and ladies, and by his 
 inferiors as well as by his superiors. 
 
 One day the Duke decided to go from 
 Chambery to Lyons to see the King of France ; 
 for Charles VIII. was then holding his court 
 in that city surrounded by a gay throng. Life 
 was pleasant there, for the King was a young 
 man and one of the most courteous and liberal 
 of princes. It may be remarked in passing that 
 he had had great disadvantages as a boy. His 
 father, Louis XL, had kept him almost a prisoner 
 in the castle of Amboise, and had given him 
 no instructors ; so that when he ascended the 
 throne at the age of fourteen he could not even 
 read. For a time he wisely applied himself to 
 study, but he was easily led into a life of 
 pleasure by companions who did not approve of 
 too studious a king. Whatever his short-comings, 
 he was, nevertheless, very popular personally. 
 
 When he heard of the approach of his noble 
 vassal the Duke of Savoy, he sent the Lord de 
 Ligny, who was related to both the Royal family 
 and the Duke, to meet him, accompanied by 
 gentlemen and archers. In the course of their 
 ride towards Lyons, the Lord de Ligny 
 remarked — 
 
14 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 *^ My Lord; you have a well-mounted page, 
 and what is more, he knows how to manage his 
 horse." 
 
 ^' By my faith," replied the Duke, '^ it is 
 barely six months since the Bishop of Grenoble 
 gave him to me, but I have never seen a boy of 
 his age so excel both on horseback and on foot. 
 Let me tell you, my Lord and cousin, that he 
 comes of a race of brave and gallant men, whom 
 I believe he will resemble." 
 
 Then, turning to Pierre, he desired him to 
 show off his horsemanship, which so impressed 
 the Lord de Ligny that he exclaimed — 
 
 ^' If you take my advice you will give both 
 page and horse to the King ; the horse is a noble 
 one, and the page is worth even more." 
 
 Thus talking they entered the city of Lyons, 
 where the streets were crowded with men, and 
 the windows were full of ladies eager to see the 
 goodly procession pass. 
 
 The following morning the Duke presented 
 himself at the Court, and was received in a most 
 friendly way by the King. They attended Mass 
 together, at the Convent of the Cordeliers, and 
 afterwards the Duke was invited to join the 
 Royal party at dinner. During the repast the 
 conversation touched on many topics — dogs, 
 birds, feats of arms, and love — and the Lord de 
 Ligny spoke of the wonderful page, who 
 
THE PAGE 15 
 
 managed his horse like a man of thirty rather 
 than a boy of fourteen, and he asked if the King 
 would be willing to hear Vespers at Ainay 
 and afterwards see the page ride in the plain 
 there. The King agreed, and asked the Duke 
 who had given him this page, receiving the 
 reply that he had been brought to him by the 
 Bishop of Grenoble some six months ago, and 
 that the lad came of a valiant family of 
 Dauphiny. 
 
 Pierre was not present, but the news was 
 soon given him that the King wished to see him 
 ride. He could not have felt more delight if he 
 had taken the city of Lyons, and he went off 
 immediately to the master-groom of the Duke 
 (Pizou de Chenas by name) and said — 
 
 ^' My friend and master, I hear the King 
 wishes to see me on my palfrey after dinner ; I 
 beseech of you to put him in good order, and I 
 will gladly give you my short dagger." 
 
 Pierre was evidently a favourite of the 
 master-groom, for he answered— 
 
 '' Bayard, my friend, keep your dagger. I 
 thank you, but I will not take it Go and wash 
 and dress yourself, you will find your horse 
 all ready. God willing, you shall please the 
 King. He is able to advance you, and who 
 knows, if some day, with God's help, you may 
 not be as great a man as I wish." 
 
16 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 Pierre then accoutred himself with great 
 care and awaited the summons which did not 
 fail to come. In the early afternoon the esquire 
 under whose charge he had been placed, came 
 with the message that he was to proceed to the 
 plain of Ainay, having been given by the Duke 
 to the King; who wished to see him ride ; and 
 the esquire ended in a vexed tone— 
 
 ^' I do not regret your advancement, but, by 
 my faith, I am grieved to lose you." 
 
 Both the esquire and Pierre then mounted 
 their horses, the latter's being most perfectly 
 groomed and accoutred, and they rode to the 
 plain of Ainay, there to await the King and his 
 gay company, who came by boat down the river 
 Saone. When the King had disembarked and 
 reached the plain of Ainay, he saw at once 
 Pierre mounted and the esquire beside him and 
 called out — 
 
 ''Page, my friend. Put spurs to your horse.*' 
 
 Never was order more promptly obeyed. 
 Pierre galloped as if his whole life had been 
 spent in the saddle. At the end of the course he 
 made his horse bound two or three times, 
 then returned like lightning towards the King, 
 pulling the animal up short at the proper point, 
 and causing him to caracole round and round. 
 
 Not only the King but all, the company were 
 delighted, and again the order was given, 
 
AGAIN THE ORDER WAS GIVEN, " PU^UE, I'lQUE ENCORE UN COUP 
 
THE PAGE 17 
 
 ^' Pique, pique encore un coup." Then the other 
 pages took up the word, and shouts of ^^ Piquez 
 — piquez," were heard on all sides and earned 
 Pierre for a considerable time the nickname ot 
 ^'Piquet." 
 
 ^^ Truly," the King remarked to the Duke, 
 '' I see before my eyes what our cousin de Ligny 
 reported at dinner. I will not wait for you to 
 give me your page and his horse, but I will 
 demand them." 
 
 "Sire," replied the Duke, "you are my 
 master, and what is mine must be yours. May 
 he be able by the grace of God to do you good 
 service." 
 
 "By my faith," said the King, "he cannot 
 possibly do otherwise than well. Cousin de 
 Ligny, I give this page into your charge, but I 
 do not wish him to lose his horse, which must 
 be kept in your own stable." 
 
 The Lord de Ligny thanked the King and 
 was very pleased with this arrangement, for he 
 thought he could make a man of Pierre who 
 would reflect great credit on himself; and for- 
 sooth the future many times showed the realiza- 
 tion of this thought. 
 
 The Duke of Savoy remained some time at 
 Lyons, passing many gay days with the King 
 and the Princes and Nobles of France. He felt 
 at last that he must return to his own Duchy 
 
18 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 and asked leave to do so, which was reluctantly 
 granted by the King. Even the best of company 
 must needs separate one day, 
 
 Pierre was only three years a page in the 
 house of the Lord de Ligny, after which time, 
 when he was seventeen, his master appointed 
 him into his company, at the same time retaining 
 him as one of the gentlemen of his household. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 TOUCHING THE SHIELDS 
 
 TTC T'E must pass over three years when it so 
 ^ ^ happened that, just at the time when 
 Pierre's career as a page was ending, Charles 
 VIII. was visiting the principal places in his 
 kingdom, and came again to Lyons. 
 
 During the Royal visit there came a certain 
 gentleman of Burgundy, Claude de Vaudray by 
 name, a well-known expert at all feats of arms, 
 and he begged the King to allow him to arrange 
 an assault of arms both on horseback and on 
 foot, with lance and battle-axe. Permission 
 being given, he hung up his shields, which all 
 those desiring to engage in the contests were to 
 touch, and to cause their names to be entered 
 by the king-at-arms. It must be remembered 
 that the word '' shield " is used in its heraldic 
 meaning as bearing the coat of arms — an 
 escutcheon. Pierre longed to touch these, but 
 had not the means for the proper equipment, and 
 he thought so deeply over the matter that a 
 
 19 
 
20 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 friend of his in the household of the Lord de 
 Ligny named Bellabre, asked him what was 
 troubling him. When Bellabre, who was the 
 elder of the two, learnt the truth he exclaimed — 
 
 "Why do you trouble, my friend? Have 
 you not the Abbot of Ainay for an uncle ? I vow 
 we will go and find him, and if he will not 
 provide a good sum we will take his cross and 
 mitre ! . But I am sure, when he knows your 
 wish, he will gladl}'- help you." 
 
 Encouraged by these words, Pierre touched 
 the shields. When he came to have his name 
 entered; Montjoie the king-at-arms laughed at 
 him. 
 
 " Why, friend Piquet, you will not have a 
 beard these three years, and you want to fight 
 Messire Claude, one of the strongest and best 
 known of knights ! " 
 
 Pierre assured him it was not from conceit he 
 wished to fight, but simply to learn the use of 
 arms, so that he might "one day be able to 
 uphold the honour of fair ladies." Montjoie was 
 much amused, and soon all Lyons, including 
 the King, knew that Piquet had touched the 
 shields. 
 
 But the difficulty now was to get the horses 
 and the necessary costly equipment for the 
 Chevalier Bayard, now but a day or so out of his 
 pagehood. He and his friend Bellabre started 
 
TOUCHING THE SHIELDS 21 
 
 early one morning by boat from Lyons to Ainay, 
 not without the wish that the uncle in question 
 had been the good Bishop of Grenoble, im- 
 possible as it would have been to get to him and 
 back in time. They found the Abbot in the 
 meadows with one of his monks reciting the 
 ^' Hours." He saluted the youths rather coldly, 
 for he guessed they had come for financial help, 
 the news of. his nephew's enterprise having 
 reached him also. His greeting was not en- 
 couraging. 
 
 '' How could you dare to touch the shields of 
 Messire Claude de Vaudray, you, who but three 
 days ago were a page, liable to be whipped for 
 your conceit, and only seventeen years old ? " 
 
 Bayard explained his reasons, but the Abbot 
 continued — 
 
 ''Seek elsewhere for some one to lend you 
 the money. That given by the founder of this 
 Abbey is for the service of God, and not to be 
 spent in jousts and tournaments." 
 
 But Bellabre succeeded in convincing the 
 Abbot that without the warlike prowess of his 
 ancestors he himself would never have been 
 Abbot of Ainay, and he gradually wrung a re- 
 luctant promise to do something for his nephew. 
 At last he took them to his own apartment, and 
 opening a small safe, he took a hundred crowns 
 from it, which he gave to Bellabre to buy two 
 
22 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 horses with, as he said the valiant man-at-arms 
 was too young to be trusted with money. He 
 further promised to write to Laurencin, a Lyons 
 merchant, to furnish the necessary habiliments, 
 never thinking these would cost him more than 
 a hundred francs. The youths waited for the 
 letter and then, after thanking the Abbot and 
 taking leave of him, they rushed off to Laurencin ; 
 for no limit had been put to the sum to be spent, 
 and as Bellabre said — 
 
 *^ You will be well equipped for your tour- 
 ney, and for a year to spare, but be quick before 
 the Abbot thinks of what he has done, or he will 
 send some one after us. You may be sure 
 you will never get anything more from your 
 uncle." 
 
 Bayard agreed as to the necessity for haste, 
 and urging on their boatman they went straight 
 to Laurencin. They found him in his shop, and 
 Bellabre misrepresented the facts, saying the 
 Abbot had sent for them, had given them break- 
 fast and three hundred crowns for horses, and 
 his generosity to his nephew was unlimited. We 
 must hope Bayard was not a party to his friend's 
 endeavours to help him ! However, the Abbot's 
 letter spoke for itself, and when Laurencin had 
 read it, he was all politeness, and gold and silver 
 cloths, and brocades, and satins and velvets and 
 silks were unfolded. The youths selected about 
 
 >« 
 
TOUCHING THE SHIELDS 23 
 
 seven or eight hundred francs worth, and sent for 
 tailors to make them up. 
 
 Meanwhile the Abbot soon after went to 
 dinner where he had guests, and he told them of 
 his nephew's folly, and how he had been obliged 
 to give him the ''terrible present" of money, 
 and a letter to Laurencin. His secretary ap- 
 plauded his generosity, but thought it possible 
 Laurencin might execute his commission so well 
 that it would cost the Abbot as much as two 
 thousand francs, if no sum was named. Much 
 alarmed, the Abbot sent his steward at once to 
 tell the merchant on no account to exceed the 
 limit of a hundred and twenty francs, but it was 
 too late and the steward was obliged to return 
 with the news that six times that amount had 
 been expended. 
 
 Then the steward was sent to Bayard, to 
 desire him to return to Laurencin all he had had 
 from him, but he never found him at home, and 
 was constantly put off with excuses for his 
 absence. So after ten attempts he returned to 
 his master. Possibly Bellabre had a hand in 
 avoiding the steward, or we may imagine that 
 the steward himself was not sorry that the young 
 cavalier should have all that he needed. The 
 Abbot of course was very angry, exclaiming, 
 '' He is a bad boy, but he will repent it." 
 
 Two good horses were bought from a 
 
24 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 gentleman unable to use them from an accident, 
 and who from regard for Bayard let him have them 
 at a very low price, that is to say for some ten 
 crowns more than the Abbot had given. These 
 preparations were only completed three days 
 before the tournament began. So there had been 
 no time to spare. 
 
 Messire Claude began by setting forth the 
 permission he had received from the King, and 
 on a Monday morning many good and valiant 
 gentlemen from the Royal household entered the 
 lists against him, and many others, and needless 
 to say every man exerted himself to the very 
 utmost. According to the rules of the tourna- 
 ment, as each knight finished what he attempted, 
 he was led along the lists with visor raised, so 
 that the spectators might see the faces of those 
 who had done well or badly. 
 
 Bayard, who was only in his eighteenth year, 
 was still growing and was very thin and pale, 
 but he entered the ranks to try and do as the 
 others. This, his first essay, was a very hard 
 one, for he had pitted himself against one of the 
 most skilful and clever knights that ever lived. 
 No one knows how it came about — whether 
 God's providence helped him, or whether Messire 
 Claude took a strange sort of pleasure in giving 
 such a youthful antagonist an easy lesson — 
 anyway he proved himself the best, both on 
 
TOUCHING THE SHIELDS 25 
 
 horseback and on foot, of any of those who had 
 competed with the expert. 
 
 All the ladies of Lyons were loud in his 
 praises, and when he in his turn had to ride along 
 the lists with face uncovered, they much abashed 
 him by saying in the patois of Lyons that the 
 long thin boy had done the best of all. 
 
 At supper that evening he was honoured by 
 King Charles saying — 
 
 '' By my faith, Piquet has made a beginning 
 which I believe will lead to a good end." And 
 he said to the Lord de Ligny — 
 
 "I never made you so good a present, my 
 cousin, as when I gave him to you." 
 
 '' Sire," replied the Lord de Ligny, '' if he 
 grows to be a great man, it were more to your 
 honour than to mine — God grant he may so go 
 on! But his uncle, the Abbot of Ainay, takes 
 not much pleasure in it ! " 
 
 And the King and all the company laughed 
 heartily, for they knew how Bayard's accoutre- 
 ments had been obtained. 
 
 Some little time after the tournament, the 
 Lord de Ligny called Bayard to him one morning 
 and thus addressed him — 
 
 ^' Piquet, my friend, you have begun .with 
 much good fortune, but the trade of arms 
 requires to be learnt. I have put you in my 
 company, and will retain you as one of my 
 
26 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 household with three hundred francs a year, 
 and three horses with all they require. I wish 
 you to join the garrison to see your com- 
 panions. You will find them as brave men-at- 
 arms as are to be met with in all Christendom. 
 Various exercises, jousts and tournaments are 
 held among them, to gain honour and to 
 please the ladies. While waiting for news of 
 war, you cannot do better than be amongst 
 them." 
 
 Bayard was very pleased, and thanked the 
 Lord de Ligny for his interest in him, assuring 
 him of his willingness to set forth on the 
 morrow. This was agreed to. But first he had 
 to take leave of the King, who spoke very kindly 
 to him, and indeed Bayard was much embarrassed 
 by all the Princes and Nobles crowding round 
 him to wish him well, and to express their 
 regret at his departure. The youth could not 
 agree with them ; he was all impatience to be 
 off. The King called one of his attendants who 
 had charge of his coffers, and gave Bayard three 
 hundred crowns, and also a fine charger from his 
 own stable. 
 
 The Lord de Ligny talked to him that even- 
 ing as if he had been his father, and giving him 
 much good advice, embraced him and bade him 
 farewell. Then followed more farewells and 
 presents; and it was late before Bayard could 
 
TOUCHING THE SHIELDS 27 
 
 snatch a few hours' rest in preparation for start- 
 ing early the next morning. 
 
 His departure was no light matter. He took 
 six great horses with his baggage, which were 
 sent on first ; while he followed them with five 
 or six fine coursers. His friend Bellabre accom- 
 panied him part of the way, and after dining 
 together they parted, but only for a short time, 
 as Bellabre was intending to follow him in a few 
 days. 
 
 The journey was made in short stages, as 
 some of the horses were led by hand. It took 
 him three days to get to Aire, where he sent on 
 one of his people to secure lodgings. When the 
 gentlemen of the company learnt that Piquet 
 was so near them, they nearly all mounted their 
 horses to go and meet him, so much did they 
 desire to greet a companion of whom all spoke 
 so well. About an hundred and twenty young 
 gentlemen met Bayard half a league from the 
 town. 
 
 There is no need to ask if he received a 
 warm welcome. They conducted him, chatting 
 most gaily, to the town, where many ladies were 
 looking out of the windows for them. The 
 name of '' Piquet" was well-known, and not one 
 but was anxious to make his acquaintance. 
 This of course was due to his late exploit ; for 
 his temerity in touching the shields of that 
 
28 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 renowned warrior Messire Claude de Vaudray, 
 and his steadiness and courage, when it came to 
 the trial against that redoubtable knight, had 
 earned him this popularity at the commence- 
 ment of his garrison life. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 IN GARRISON IN PICARDY 
 
 THE garrison town in Picardy, in which 
 Bayard was now quartered, was Aire on 
 the river Lys, some thirty miles south-east of 
 Calais. When the gay party who escorted him 
 through the town reached his ^' lodgement," 
 they found the servants who had preceded 
 them had supper in readiness, and Bayard 
 invited some of his new friends to come in and 
 join him in partaking of it. 
 
 Among all the light-hearted youths assembled 
 there, one, named Tardieu, was especially gay 
 and full of spirits, and before supper was ended 
 he thus addressed the new-comer — 
 
 " Friend and companion, I warn you the 
 ladies of this town are the most beautiful in 
 Picardy. It is not probable that you have 
 arrived here penniless ! Therefore, to attract 
 notice and to gain popularity on your entering 
 amongst us, I beg of you to give a prize for 
 
 29 
 
30 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 feats of arms in the course of a week. It is long 
 since we have had such a thing here." 
 
 Bayard was nothing loth, provided their 
 Captain granted leave and a trumpeter could be 
 placed at his disposal. He was assured that 
 Captain Louis d'Ars would be sure to give leave 
 on his return in four days' time, and if he did not 
 Tardieu would take the blame on himself So 
 behold Bayard, who had barely joined the 
 garrison an hour, embarked on the arduous 
 business of arranging an assault of arms ! We 
 must glance at his first proclamation, which was 
 all written out, when Tardieu called on him 
 (with the trumpeter) the next morning. 
 
 " Pierre de Bayard, young gentleman and 
 learner in the use of arms, native of Dauphiny — 
 proclaims a tournament to be held near the 
 walls outside Aire, on the twentieth of July, 
 open to all comers. Three lance-thrusts with 
 sheathed and blunted lances, and twelve sword- 
 thrusts, all on horseback in full armour. The 
 prize to be a gold bracelet enamelled with the 
 colours of the said Bayard, and costing thirty 
 crowns. The second day will be for lance- 
 thrusts on foot behind a barrier waist high, 
 and blows with axes. The prize to be a 
 diamond worth forty crowns." 
 
 When Tardieu had read this he exclaimed 
 that never Lancelot, Tristan or Gawain did 
 
IN GARRISON IN PICARDY 31 
 
 better (so we see he knew about the Knights of 
 the Round Table) ; and the trumpeter was forth- 
 with desired to go through the town, and then to 
 all the garrisons within three days' journey. 
 When Captain d'Ars returned, he was so far 
 from objecting that he became one of the judges 
 on the occasion. 
 
 On the eventful day there were forty-six com- 
 petitors, divided into two even ranks of twenty- 
 three, and the trumpet sounded the signal to 
 begin. Bayard was immediately challenged by 
 a bold gentleman of Dauphiny, Tartarin, and 
 after that, Bellabre was challenged by Captain 
 David, a Scotchman, and so in twos and twos 
 they all jousted in their order, and at the end of 
 the first day the four we have mentioned, and 
 Tardieu, were pronounced to have done the 
 best, though all did well. Then followed a 
 merry supper given by Bayard, to which ladies 
 were invited, ending with dances and other 
 amusements. 
 
 The next day Bayard begged Captain Louis 
 d'Ars and the company of the preceding even- 
 ing to dine with him, and his invitation was 
 accepted. But first they all went to hear Mass, 
 and afterwards each young gentleman gave his 
 arm to a lady and escorted her back to dinner. 
 We must remember that dinner was in the 
 morning, and in the time of Francis I. even 
 
3g THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 " persons of quality " did not dine later than ten* 
 The following rhyme in use at this period tells 
 of this custom — 
 
 " Lever k cinq, diner k neuf, 
 Souper k cinq, coucher k neuf, 
 Fait vivre d'ans nonante et neuf." 
 
 At about two o'clock the tournament began 
 again, opened as before by Bayard, his antago- 
 nist this time being a gentleman of Hainault, who 
 at last was forced to " kiss the earth whether he 
 would or no,'* and the judges cried, '' Hola, hola. 
 Enough; withdraw." Afterwards came Bellabre, 
 whose axe was eventually broken, then Tardieu 
 against David the Scotchman, and the others in 
 their order. 
 
 It was seven o'clock before it was over, and 
 the general opinion was that for so small a 
 tournament it was one of the best that had ever 
 been seen. After the supper, which again took 
 place at Bayard's apartments, it was resolved 
 to settle the contests by begging the judges to 
 award the prizes. Several gentlemen experi- 
 enced in arms were consulted by them, and 
 afterwards the ladies also — all on their honour 
 to show no favour or partiality. 
 
 However, they unanimously declared that 
 during the two days, though all had done 
 excellently, the palm must be given to Bayard. 
 
IN GARRISON IN PICARDY 33 
 
 Therefore the prizes were handed to him to be 
 given as he should think fit. Then the trumpet 
 sounded for silence, and one of the judges (not 
 Captain Louis d'Ars) said — 
 
 ^'Gentlemen here assembled, and all those 
 who have taken part in Messire Bayard's two 
 days' tournament, I beg to announce the decision 
 of my Lord of Ars and myself, the chosen 
 judges, after having duly inquired of all the brave 
 and honest gentlemen present, and also consulted 
 these noble ladies. We find that every one has 
 distinguished himself, but without disparaging 
 any, the general opinion is, that the Lord of 
 Bayard has proved himself the best during the 
 two days. Therefore, these lords and ladies 
 award him the honour of presenting the prizes 
 to those he thinks most fit." Then turning to 
 Bayard, he said, '' Decide, my Lord of Bayard, 
 who are most worthy of them." 
 
 Somewhat confused at first at having to be 
 judge as well as competitor in his own tourna- 
 ment, he hesitated, but soon replied modestly— 
 
 ^' My lord, I do not know by what favour this 
 honour has fallen to my lot. I feel that many 
 deserve it far more than I do, but since it is the 
 wish of these lords and ladies that I should be 
 the judge, I beg my companions, who are my 
 superiors, not to be vexed at my decision. I 
 award the prize of the first day to my Lord of 
 
34 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 Bellabre, and that of the second day to Captain 
 David the Scotchman." 
 
 He then presented the prizes, neither man 
 nor woman disputing his judgment ; and dancing 
 and games concluded the day. Thus we may 
 well imagine that the money given to him by 
 the King and others on his leaving Lyons, was 
 quickly spent in that gay and gallant company. 
 
 Bayard remained two years in Picardy, where 
 no one could compare with him in popularity. 
 During that time he assisted at many tourna- 
 ments and fetes, where he usually carried off the 
 prizes. But the real reason why he was so 
 beloved was because he was both gracious and 
 generous in a remarkable degree. If perchance 
 one of his companions lost a horse, he would 
 remount him. As long as he had a crown it was 
 at the service of his friends. And notwithstand- 
 ing his youth, his first thought each day was the 
 service of God. He gave much away in alms, 
 and throughout his life no one could be found 
 who could say that he had ever disregarded a 
 request, or failed to grant a favour if it was in 
 his power to do so. 
 
 Life has a more serious side for a soldier 
 than jousts, revels, and festivities, and while 
 Bayard was in garrison in Picardy rumours of 
 war were in the air, for Charles VHI. was 
 planning the great enterprise of his reign, 
 
IN GARRISON IN PICARDY 35 
 
 namely the conquest of the kingdom of Naples. 
 The Loyal Serviteur says that the causes of this 
 expedition are so fully recorded in other histories 
 and chronicles that to detail them would only 
 serve to weary the reader, and to spoil paper. 
 However, it may be as well to say that Charles 
 had a pretended claim on the kingdom of Naples, 
 though perhaps he never would have gone to 
 war to press this claim had it not been for 
 Ludovico Sforza. This latter was uncle to the 
 reigning Duke of Milan, and he wanted to 
 destroy his nephew and get possession of the 
 Duchy for himself He was, however, afraid to 
 make any open attempt against the young Duke 
 of Milan, who had married a grand-daughter of 
 the King of Naples, and it suited his purposes to 
 encourage Charles's ambitious projects, which 
 possibly he was the first to put into his mind, 
 and he urged him on to make an invasion of 
 Naples. 
 
 In vain all the most prudent advisers of the 
 King in France endeavoured to dissuade him. 
 He was bent on the enterprise, which after being 
 constantly discussed for two years at the Royal 
 Council, was at last, after many changes of 
 plans, determined on. 
 
 It was in the autumn of 1494, that the French 
 army, but ill provided with money and pro- 
 visions, set out. The Italian princes might 
 
36 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 easily have crushed this invasion at first, but 
 they thought it would end in mere talk, and 
 they made but little preparation to repel it. It 
 seemed ''as if God had blinded their eyes and 
 tied down their hands, and raised up this young 
 prince to chastise them, who came with a small 
 force, and was governed by a brainless council" 
 (Mezerai). 
 
 Soon after the arrival of the French troops, 
 the young Duke of Milan died of poison which 
 Ludovico Sforza had found means to give him, 
 and he hastened to Milan and took possession 
 of the Duchy. There were some who urged 
 Charles to punish the usurper, but his whole 
 mind was set on conquering Naples, and he was 
 not to be turned from it. 
 
 To return to Bayard, he was sent for by the 
 Lord de Ligny, who accompanied the King, and 
 who before he left desired his former page to 
 leave his garrison work, and follow him to real 
 warfare, knowing his courage and his virtues, 
 and being unwilling to deprive him of any 
 chance of distinguishing himself in sterner duty 
 than he had as yet attempted. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 FORNOVO— AND AFTER 
 
 THE march of the King of France towards 
 Naples was a triumphant one; wherever 
 he went he proclaimed himself ''the friend of 
 freedom, and the enemy of tyrants." Soon after 
 the arrival of the French in Italy, the old King 
 of Naples died, and his son fled in terror to 
 Sicily, dreading their approach. The only small 
 town which resisted Charles was treated with 
 such violence that the whole district was panic- 
 stricken, even the nobles as well as the people 
 giving in their submission ; Naples was taken 
 and Charles was welcomed with transports 
 of joy. 
 
 This state of things did not last long, the 
 Pope, the Venetians, and Ludovico Sforza, now 
 they no longer needed the French, wished to 
 get rid of them, and the Italians had allies in 
 the King of Spain, and also in Maximilian, 
 Emperor of Germany. At length Charles 
 thought it advisable to retrace his steps towards 
 
 37 
 
38 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 France; leaving the Duke of Montpensier as 
 viceroy of Naples, and a part of his troops in 
 the different garrisons. With his diminished 
 army he, got as far as northern Italy, where in 
 the Valley of the Taro, at Fornovo, a very large 
 opposing force, stationing themselves in a gorge 
 through which the French must pass, awaited 
 them. Here Charles showed himself a soldier, 
 and with great bravery he and his little army 
 rushed on the enemy and broke their ranks, and 
 completely defeated them with great slaughter, 
 the French losing but few men on their side. 
 This battle of Fornovo took place on July 6, 1495. 
 
 Bayard, in the company of the Lord de Ligny, 
 did gallantly, two horses being killed under 
 him; moreover he brought the King a cavalry 
 standard which he had captured from the flying 
 Italians. 
 
 From Fornovo Charles came by short stages 
 to Verceil, where he met a fine body of Swiss 
 who had come down to his assistance in case of 
 need. He remained there some days in order 
 to rescue the Duke of Orleans (afterwards Louis 
 XII.) who was besieged at Novara by Ludovico 
 Sforza. After many negotiations a peace was 
 arranged, and he slowly returned to Lyons, 
 where he joined the Queen, and he afterwards 
 went to St. Denis, near Paris, in the beautiful 
 Church of which lay the bones of his ancestors, 
 
FORNOVO— AND AFTER 39 
 
 and where doubtless he returned thanks after 
 his campaign. 
 
 The next two years were spent in his own 
 kingdom, where the news of the death of the 
 Duke of Montpensier, and the return of the 
 Neapolitans to their allegiance to Ferdinand, 
 lawful heir to the Crown of Naples, reached 
 him. A fresh campaign was talked of but 
 abandoned, and Charles went back to the castle 
 of Amboise, where his early years had been 
 spent. 
 
 In the April of 1497, while looking on at a 
 game of tennis he was taken ill, and died soon 
 afterwards, aged only twenty-eight. Commines, 
 the historian of those times, says of him : 
 *'To say the truth, I never saw so great 
 mourning and lamentation, nor any that con- 
 tinued so long for any Prince as for him; and 
 no marvel, for he was the mildest and most 
 courteous Prince that ever lived." 
 
 He was succeeded by Louis XII., Duke of 
 Orleans, surnamed ''The Father of his People." 
 He had been obliged to marry when very 
 young, the daughter of Louis XI. ; afterwards he 
 married the widow of the late King. His first 
 care was to lessen the taxes, and to improve 
 the administration of justice. 
 
 A great desire of the new King was to re- 
 take the Duchy of Milan, which he considered 
 
40 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 belonged to him, and which Ludovico Sforza 
 had appropriated, and his father before him, so 
 that the Orleans family had not held it for 
 very many years. Now he was in a position 
 to demand it, and sent an army into Italy for 
 that purpose. One of the commanders of this 
 force was Trivulzio. He was an Italian, but 
 he had served in France. Afterwards he fought 
 against Charles VIII., when the latter invaded 
 Italy, but soon entered the service of France, 
 and fought on that side with distinction, and con- 
 tinued one of that country's most distinguished 
 generals till the end of his military career. 
 
 In the present expedition to regain Milan for 
 Louis XII., Trivulzio and his army took and 
 sacked two small towns. They then marched on 
 Alessandria where they besieged the partisans 
 of Ludovico Sforza, and notwithstanding a 
 gallant defence, that town also surrendered. 
 
 When the followers of Sforza learnt that, 
 they all submitted to the King of France, and 
 Sforza, seeing he was deserted by his subjects, 
 abandoned Milan and retired into Germany, 
 where Maximilian received him with pleasure. 
 After he had left them the Milanese submitted 
 to the French, and Louis XII., on hearing this 
 news, crossed the Alps himself, and entering 
 Milan in his ducal robes, spent three weeks in 
 regulating affairs. 
 
FORNOVO— AND AFTER 41 
 
 On quitting his newly recovered Uuchy; 
 Louis left Trivulzio there as governor, and gave 
 the charge of the castle to another noble lord, 
 and returned himself to Lyons; but before he 
 left Milan he reduced the taxes and the various 
 imposts one-third, by which means he gained 
 the hearts of many of his new subjects, and the 
 approbation of all. 
 
 Bayard was among those left in garrison in 
 Italy, and soon after the war was over, he went 
 to visit Blanche of Savoy, the widow of his 
 first master, Duke Charles of Savoy. She now 
 resided at Carignan in Piedmont, and there 
 was no house where knights were entertained 
 in more princely fashion. The chamberlain of 
 this lady's household was a certain Lord de 
 Fruzasco, whose beautiful and accomplished 
 wife turned out to be an old friend of Bayard. 
 In the early days of his pagehood they had been 
 boy and girl lovers, and then they drifted apart 
 in spite of writing to each other, and the boy 
 followed King Charles into Italy, and the girl 
 married some one else. They seem to have 
 renewed their friendship with ardour — indeed 
 the lady wished Bayard to know that the 
 ^'honest love she had for him in youth was 
 still alive." Perhaps it had been kept alive by 
 the reports which had reached her ears of his 
 contest with the celebrated Claude de Vaudray, 
 
4a THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 of his winning the tournament at Aire, and 
 especially of the renown he had won at Fornovo. 
 Naturally their talk ran on feats of arms, and 
 finally Bayard was urged by her to proclaim 
 a tournament in honour of the Duchess, their 
 hostess. To this wish Bayard replied — 
 
 ''Truly, it shall be as you desire; you are 
 the first lady who ever enlisted my heart 
 in her service. I only beg of you to give 
 me one of your bracelets, for which I have a 
 use." 
 
 It may be remarked that this ''bracelet" may 
 have been a kind of sleeve or gauntlet, for the 
 lady handed it to Bayard, and he silently drew 
 it over the sleeve of his doublet. 
 
 Early the next morning Bayard sent a 
 trumpeter to the neighbouring garrison towns, 
 to proclaim that in four days' time a tournament 
 would be held at Carignan for knights and 
 esquires in full armour. The winner of three 
 courses of the lance without a barrier, and 
 twelve sword-thrusts, was to be awarded a 
 lady's bracelet, to which was attached a ruby 
 worth a hundred ducats. 
 
 The herald (or trumpeter) did his duty, and 
 returned with a list of fifteen gentlemen who 
 had promised to take part. The Lady Blanche 
 expressed herself very pleased at these arrange- 
 ments, and ordered raised benches to be 
 
FORNOVO— AND AFTER 43 
 
 decorated and placed in the tiltyard; from 
 whence she could view the contests. 
 
 On the appointed morning about eleven 
 o'clock, Bayard with a few friends, all mounted 
 and armed cap-a-pie^ awaited the others who did 
 not fail to come soon. The first combatants 
 were the giver of the tournament and the Lord 
 of Rouastre, a brave and skilful knight, who 
 bore the ensign of Duke Philibert of Savoy, but 
 despite his skill Bayard succeeded in disarming 
 him in the first course. In the second course 
 the Lord of Rouastre showed even more 
 dexterity than before, but though he was not 
 unseated he reeled in the saddle and his crest 
 and plume were borne away on the point of his 
 adversary's lance. In the third course he 
 missed his aim, while Bayard's lance was broken 
 to pieces. 
 
 The other combatants followed, all earning 
 the approbation of the spectators. After the 
 lances were done with, there were the contests 
 with swords, twelve thrusts or sweeps being 
 allowed, but Bayard, at the second thrust only, 
 sent his antagonist's sword flying out of his 
 hand, breaking his own at the same time. 
 
 It was late before all had competed, and then 
 the Lady Blanche, through her chamberlain, 
 Lord de Fruzasco, invited all to sup with her 
 at the castle, and gave them a reception worthy 
 
44 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 of the occasion. After supper the hautboys 
 and the minstrels began to play, but first of 
 all they decided to give the prize to the victor. 
 
 The Lord de Fruzasco and another nobleman 
 were the judges, and when they asked the 
 opinion of the assembled company, all — the 
 Duchess, gentlemen, ladies, and even the com- 
 batants — declared with one voice that the 
 Chevalier Bayard had won it by right. 
 
 But he refused it blushing, and saying it was 
 quite wrong to accord him that honour, for if 
 he had done at all well in anything it was due 
 entirely to the Lady de Fruzasco who had lent 
 him her bracelet, and it was for her to present 
 the prize to whomsoever she pleased. 
 
 Then the Lord de Fruzasco came forward 
 in his capacity of judge, and, be it remarked, 
 he did not feel the slightest jealousy, for he 
 knew too well the great loyalty of the gallant 
 knight, and he said to his wife— 
 
 " Madame, in the presence of me, your 
 husband, my Lord of Bayard, to whom the 
 prize has been unanimously awarded, declares 
 you to have gained it with the bracelet which 
 you gave him. We, therefore, present it to you, 
 to do what you please with it." 
 
 The lady was not at all disconcerted at this 
 great honour, but replied with her accustomed 
 grace — 
 
FORNOVO—AND AFTER 45 
 
 ^' Since my Lord of Bayard does me the 
 honour to affirm that my bracelet has caused 
 him to win the prize, I will keep it all my life 
 for love of him. As to the ruby, since he 
 refuses to take it as victor, I venture to think 
 it should be given to my Lord Montdragon, as 
 the general opinion gave him the second place 
 in the tournament." 
 
 The prize was thus given according to the 
 lady's decision, which was approved by all. The 
 fetes at Carignan lasted some five or six days 
 longer, then all the knights and esquires 
 returned to their respective garrisons. 
 
 Bayard took leave of his early patroness, 
 who was pleased to think she had helped in 
 the bringing-up of one so highly esteemed as 
 he was by all. 
 
 And a sad farewell was then spoken to his 
 first, and perhaps his only love, the Lady de 
 Fruzasco, who wept at parting from him, while 
 he had le coeur bien serine! Their honest and 
 pure affection for each other lasted till death, 
 and every year some token of remembrance 
 passed between them. Observe, it was the 
 good Chevalier smts peitr et sans reprochej but 
 as if to disarm criticism, the Loyal Serviteur 
 just mentions, as we have seen, how completely 
 the Lord de Fruzasco was free from jealousy. 
 Besides, it was the age of such friendships, and 
 
46 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 one can well imagine Bayard being, in the 
 language of those times, a sur et parfaict amy. 
 
 In the town and castle of Carignan nothing 
 was talked of for many days but Bayard, not 
 only for his prowess, but for his other qualities. 
 As an instance of his generosity and gratitude, 
 he sought out Pizou de Chenas, the master- 
 groom, who had got his horse ready for him, 
 when as a boy he rode before Charles VIII. in 
 the field of Ainay, invited him to his garrison, 
 treated him with hospitality, and presented him 
 with a noble horse. He also inquired of him the 
 fate of the esquire under whom he had been first 
 placed, and hearing he was married and settled, 
 he sent him a beautiful mule. Thus did he all 
 through his life constantly prove not only his 
 liberal spirit, but his gratitude for kindnesses 
 done to himself. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 CAPTURED AT MILAN 
 
 TT will be remembered that Ludovico Sforza, 
 who had been deprived of the Duchy of 
 Milan by Louis XII., took refuge in Germany. 
 In the year 1500 he returned into Lombardy 
 with a goodly array of lansquenets, Swiss, and 
 others, and thanks to private information 
 received, he re-took Milan, though the French 
 still held the castle. Many towns in the Duchy 
 followed the example of the capital and revolted. 
 When Louis heard of these troubles, he pre- 
 pared a large army, commanded by the Lord de 
 Ligny and Trivulzio, and before long they were 
 on the march, assembling their forces in the 
 province of Asti. 
 
 Bayard was, as we know, in Italy, and a 
 short time after Sforza had re-established 
 himself in Milan, Bayard, who was stationed 
 about twenty miles from that city, met with an 
 adventure, which might have ended more 
 seriously for him than it did. He heard that 
 
 47 
 
48 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 there were at a place not far distant, called 
 Binasco, three hundred horsemen who might 
 easily be put to flight, and he called on his 
 companions to go forth with him and surprise 
 them, and see what they could achieve. As he 
 was so popular, they readily came to his call, 
 to the number of forty or fifty, and they started 
 very early the next morning on their enterprise. 
 
 However, there were gallant knights on both 
 sides, and the Captain in Binasco, named 
 Cazoche, was one of these. He got wind of 
 this project through reliable spies, and not 
 wishing to be caught in a trap, made his 
 preparations accordingly. He posted his men 
 two or three bow-shots' length outside the 
 gates, and watched for his enemies, glad to 
 observe that they were too few in number to 
 be able probably to do much harm. The 
 opposing parties rushed at each other to the 
 cry on one side of '' France ! France ! " and on 
 the other of ^' More ! More ! " (Ludovico Sforza 
 was called the Moor, either from his swarthy 
 complexion, or most probably from his crest, 
 a mulberry-tree, in Italian, 7noro). There was a 
 furious charge, and for some time one could not 
 say who would gain the victory. This enraged 
 Bayard, and he exclaimed to his companions — 
 
 ^' Ho ! gentlemen, are we to be kept here all 
 day by this handful of men ? " 
 
CAPTURED AT MILAN 49 
 
 Animated by his words his companions, 
 raising the cry of " France ! France ! " rushed 
 violently on the Lombards, who began to lose 
 ground and to retreat, but defending themselves 
 skilfully all the time. Thus retreating they 
 gradually drew towards Milan, and when they 
 were quite near that city, they turned their 
 horses suddenly and galloped straight at it. 
 The French pursued them, but after the first 
 rush, one of the older officers, who well under- 
 stood the art of war, gave the word of command 
 to turn. All heard and obeyed the order but 
 Bayard, who in the heat of pursuit dashed after 
 his enemies into Milan — yes, and followed them 
 right up to Sforza's own palace. The crowd 
 seeing the white cross on his helmet, which all 
 the French wore, shouted " Pille ! Pille ! " He 
 was surrounded on all sides, and made prisoner 
 by Captain Cazoche, who took him to his 
 quarters and caused him to be disarmed. Con- 
 sidering the remarkable courage and prowess 
 he had shown, Cazoche was astonished to find 
 him such a young man, only twenty-two or 
 twenty-three years old. 
 
 Naturally Sforza soon heard of the affray, 
 and ordered the prisoner to be brought to him 
 that he might see him. This rather alarmed 
 Captain Cazoche, on Bayard's account, knowing 
 the temper of the man, and he conducted him 
 
 E 
 
50 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 himself into Sforza's presence, having arrayed 
 him in one of his own robes, befitting his rank. 
 The Duke also was surprised at his youth, but 
 spoke somewhat roughly. 
 
 '' Come here, young sir. Who was it brought 
 you to this city ? " 
 
 Bayard answered with great calmness. '' By 
 my faith, my Lord, I did not mean to come alone, 
 but thought I was followed by all my com- 
 panions ; but they understand war better than 
 I do, for had they imitated me, they would 
 also have been taken prisoners. However, not- 
 withstanding my misfortune, I deem myself 
 happy to have fallen into the hands of so good 
 and powerful a knight." 
 
 The Duke then asked him on his honour the 
 number of the French army, receiving for reply — 
 
 '' By my soul, my Lord, as well as I can judge 
 there are between fourteen and fifteen hundred 
 horsemen, and from sixteen to eighteen thousand 
 infantry, but they are all picked men, resolved to 
 conquer the Duchy of Milan for the King, our 
 master. It seems to me, my Lord, that you 
 would be safer in Germany than here, for your 
 troops are not equal to defeating us." 
 
 Bayard spoke with such assurance that Sforza 
 was somewhat astonished, but to show he did 
 not fear the return of the French, he said, as if in 
 jest— 
 
CAPTURED AT MILAN 51 
 
 '' By my faith, young gentleman, I only wish 
 that my army and that of the King of France 
 could meet; I know no other means to settle this 
 question of heritage." 
 
 '' My Lord," cried Bayard, ^' I would it were 
 to-morrow, if only I were out of prison." 
 
 '' Think not of that," replied the Duke, '' I will 
 presently set you at liberty, and more, ask me 
 for anything you desire." 
 
 Bayard thanked the Duke on one knee, and 
 told him he only begged him of his courtesy to 
 restore him his horse and his arms, and to allow 
 him to return to his garrison twenty miles off, 
 for which favour he should be grateful all his 
 life. 
 
 '4n good faith," said Sforza, ^'you shall have 
 what you ask ; " and turning to Captain Cazoche, 
 ^' Let him have at once his horse and all that 
 belongs to him." 
 
 The Captain sent some of the attendants for 
 the horse and arms, thus causing Bayard to equip 
 himself immediately before the Duke. When he 
 had donned his armour, he sprang on his horse 
 without putting foot in stirrup, and called for his 
 lance which was handed to him. Then raising 
 his visor, he said — 
 
 ^'I thank you, my Lord, for the courtesy 
 you have shown to me. May God reward you 
 for it" 
 
52 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 This took place in a large open court, and 
 Bayard spurred his horse, who bounded four or 
 five times, after which he galloped round, 
 breaking his lance into several pieces the while. 
 The Duke did not specially enjoy this, and was 
 heard to say aloud — 
 
 '' If all the horsemen of France are like this 
 one, I shall have but a poor chance." 
 
 Bayard was escorted by a trumpeter to his 
 garrison, but they did not get so far, for they 
 met the French army about twelve miles from 
 Milan. The affair caused a great deal of talk, 
 and when Bayard presented himself before his 
 good master, the Lord de Ligny, the latter said 
 laughing — 
 
 ^'Ho, ho. Piquet, who brought you out of 
 prison ? Have you paid your ransom ? Truly 
 I was on the point of sending one of my 
 trumpeters to search for you and to pay it." 
 
 " My Lord," said Bayard, ^' I humbly thank 
 you for your good intention. Lord Ludovico 
 liberated me through pure courtesy." 
 
 He then gradually related to them all that had 
 happened to him, both of his capture and his 
 deliverance. He was asked if he had hoped to 
 see Lord Ludovico, and had he heard if he would 
 fight with them. Bayard rather evaded the 
 question, but said he did not appear to be a man 
 easily surprised by small things, and they no 
 
CAPTURED AT MILAN 53 
 
 doubt would see what he would do in a few days, 
 adding — 
 
 '' Of him I cannot complain, for he has acted a 
 kind and honest part towards me." 
 
 When Sforza learnt that the French army was 
 so near Milan, as the castle there was not in his 
 power, he dreaded being surprised. So he stole 
 away in the night with such men as he had, and 
 joined his main army at Novara. When this was 
 known in the French camp it was determined to 
 attack Sforza at Novara. There he had a 
 numerous force, but they were of different 
 nations — Burgundians, Germans, Swiss, and of 
 course Italians — and such a mixture are not easy 
 to command ; and perhaps partly from this cause 
 it was not long before Novara surrendered to 
 the French. 
 
 A rumour was spread abroad that Sforza 
 himself was not in the town, but had a second 
 time retreated to Germany ; therefore the order 
 was given that every foot soldier should pass by 
 singly under a pike, and amongst these the un- 
 fortunate Ludovico was recognized. He was 
 disguised as a Swiss soldier, and perhaps was 
 betrayed by one of his followers. However that 
 may be, he was forced to surrender. He was 
 carried with other princes of his house to 
 France, and was taken first to Lyons, then to 
 another prison, and finally to the grim castle of 
 
54 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 Loches, a pile of massive walls, which guarded 
 the dungeons of Louis XI. In that gloomy 
 fortress Sforza remained till his death some 
 eight years afterwards. 
 
 When the Milanese heard of the capture of 
 their master, dreading pillage and violence, they 
 did not hesitate to become French again ; and 
 then they found they had fallen into the hands of 
 a good prince, and of kindly captains. 
 
 Among the towns which hadi revolted from 
 the French, there were some which Louis had 
 given to the Lord de Ligny after the first 
 conquest of Milan. He now resolved to go and 
 see them, taking with him the good Captain 
 Louis d'Ars and Bayard, and he announced his 
 intention of sacking the towns of Tortona and 
 Voghera, not that he really meant to do so. At 
 first he refused to see a deputation of the 
 principal inhabitants who came to ask his 
 pardon ; but they persuaded Captain d'Ars to 
 intercede for them, and the Lord de Ligny 
 agreed to meet them on the following day. 
 
 After an eloquent speech in Italian from one 
 of their number praying for forgiveness for their 
 revolt, and promising not so to offend again, the 
 Lord de Ligny was begged to accept some silver 
 vessels as a token that his anger against them 
 had ceased, and two tables were brought forward 
 on which stood cups, and goblets, and all kinds 
 
CAPTURED AT MILAN 55 
 
 of silver vessels. But the Lord de Ligny dis- 
 dained their gift, and told them that if he did 
 his duty he should strangle them and hang them 
 from their own windows as traitors and disloyal 
 subjects. 
 
 Then the brave and good Captain d'Ars knelt 
 bare-headed before his chief, and said — 
 
 " My Lord, in the name of God, and by His 
 Passion, 1 entreat you to pardon your subjects. 
 I trust you will ever in the future find them 
 faithful and loyal." 
 
 The poor citizens who were all on their knees, 
 cried out each one, '^ My lord, let it be as 
 the Captain says," and the good Lord de Ligny 
 hearing their supplications was moved nearly 
 to tears and bade them rise, saying he would 
 pardon them for the sake of Captain d'Ars. 
 He added they did not deserve that he should 
 accept their gift, and turning to Bayard, he said—- 
 
 " Piquet, take all these vessels ; I give them 
 to you for yonr kitchen." 
 
 But Bayard declined to accept them, saying 
 they would bring him misfortune, and taking 
 them piece by piece he gave them all away. He 
 then retired, as did also the deputation. When 
 he had left, the Lord de Ligny commented on 
 his good heart and liberality, and the next day 
 considering that Bayard had nothing for himself 
 (at that moment he had not ten crowns in the 
 
56 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 world) he sent him a splendid crimson velvet 
 robe, a good charger, and three hundred crowns 
 in a purse. The crowns did not last long, being 
 as you might imagine, shared with his com- 
 panions. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 THE DUEL 
 
 AFTER the recapture of Milan, Bayard con- 
 -^^ tinued his garrison work under the brave 
 and good Captain Louis d'Ars, in the town 
 of Minervino. There he found the life some- 
 what tedious, and one evening made the follow- 
 ing suggestion to his companions— 
 
 ^'Gentlemen, we seem shut up here without 
 the chance of a brush with the enemy. Let us 
 go out to-morrow towards Andria or Barletta ; 
 perhaps we shall encounter some Spaniards." 
 
 With regard to the presence of the Spaniards 
 in Italy, the history of these times is too com- 
 plicated to be entered on here ; suffice it to say 
 that Italy, torn by contending factions, was then 
 the battlefield of Europe, and a large Spanish 
 army had landed, ostensibly to help the 
 Venetians, under the Great Captain, Gonsalvo 
 de Cordova. Bayard's proposition therefore met 
 with a ready response and the following morning 
 a little band of about thirty marched towards the 
 hostile garrisons. 
 
 5? 
 
58 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 Now, as it happened, the very same day a 
 certain Spanish gentleman, Don Alonso de 
 Soto-Mayor, a near relative of the Great Captain, 
 and himself an expert warrior, sallied forth from 
 the town of Andria with a company of forty or 
 fifty chosen horsemen. It so chanced these 
 captains did not see each other, owing to the 
 rising ground, till they were within a cannon's 
 shot, and they were both delighted at the 
 rencontre, especially as they were about equal 
 in number. As soon as Bayard saw the red 
 crosses (the Spaniards wore red crosses, as the 
 French wore white) he cried out — 
 
 '' We must fight, my friends. Let every man 
 acquit himself with honour, and if I fail to do 
 my best, let me be considered for ever a worthless 
 coward." 
 
 '^ Come on. Captain," was the response. 
 ''Have at them. Do not let them have the 
 honour of beginning." 
 
 Then, lowering their visors, they charged 
 their enemies at a gallop, shouting '' France ! 
 France ! " They were bravely resisted with 
 fixed lances by the Spaniards to the cry of 
 '' Spain ! " and '' Sant Yago ! " The combat lasted 
 half an hour ; neither side would yield, though 
 many were unhorsed; at last the Spaniards 
 were beaten back, seven lay dead on the field, 
 and many were made prisoners. The rest fled 
 
THE DUEL 59 
 
 with Captain Alonso, hotly pursued by Bayard, 
 who called out more than once, ^^Turn, man-at- 
 arms ; to die flying is a disgrace." 
 
 Thus goaded, Alonso de Soto-Mayor turned, 
 and like a lion at bay fought furiously, though 
 in the meantime his companions had left him — a 
 fact he did not regard ; but his horse failed him, 
 and Bayard said — 
 
 ^'Surrender, man-at-arms,' or you are a dead 
 
 man." 
 
 ''To whom shall I surrender?" 
 
 ''To Captain Bayard." 
 
 Then Don Alonso, who knew the prestige of 
 his antagonist, and saw himself surrounded on 
 all sides so that he could not escape, held out 
 his sword, giving himself up. He was escorted 
 to the French garrison, and Bayard, who was, 
 in the quaint words of the Loyal Serviteur, 
 "the adopted son of the Lady Courtesy," 
 having ascertained the rank of his prisoner, 
 lodged him in one of the best rooms of the 
 castle, and gave him one of his own robes, 
 saying — 
 
 " Senor don Alonso, I know you come of 
 a noble house, and, what is worth more, you are 
 renowned for your prowess; therefore I will not 
 treat you as a prisoner. I will make this castle 
 your prison if you will give me your parole that 
 you will not leave it without my permission. 
 
60 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 It is large, and you can be with us till your 
 ransom is paid." 
 
 Don Alonso thanked his captor, and gave 
 his parole. After about fifteen days he broke 
 it. He bribed an Albanian who procured him 
 a horse, and taking advantage of the liberty 
 accorded him, he escaped. He was re-taken, 
 and confined in a stricter prison, but still he 
 was kindly treated in every way till his ransom 
 of a thousand crowns was brought by one of 
 his people. This money Bayard distributed 
 amongst his soldiers, without reserving one 
 penny for himself 
 
 When Don Alonso returned to Andria, he 
 was warmly greeted by his brother officers, and 
 questioned much as to Bayard's mode of life, and 
 how he had been treated by him during his 
 captivity, and he made the following statement 
 in reply — 
 
 " I give you my word, gentlemen, that as to 
 the Chevalier Bayard himself, I know no braver 
 gentleman. And he is no idler — when he is not 
 engaged in war, he is constantly employing his 
 men in some way, in wrestling, jumping, throw- 
 ing the bar, and other manly exercises. His 
 liberality is unequalled. I have seen it several 
 times, and when he received my ransom he 
 distributed it in my presence to his soldiers. 
 Truly, if he live long, he will be a great man. 
 
THE DUEL 61 
 
 But I cannot speak well of the way in which he 
 treated me ; I know not if it was by his orders, 
 but I was not treated as becomes a gentleman, 
 and I shall remember the indignity all my life." 
 
 These complaints did not fail to be soon 
 reported to Bayard, and he was justly indignant, 
 and called his companions to witness that it was 
 only after Don Alonso had tried to escape that 
 any restraint was imposed on him, and even 
 after that he had nothing to complain of. 
 
 All agreed that the Spaniard could not have 
 been better treated if he had been some great 
 prince. 
 
 ^' By my faith," said Bayard, ^' I will write to 
 him, and if he still pretends he was ill-treated, 
 I will prove the contrary on foot or on horse, as 
 he pleases." 
 
 He then called for a clerk, and the following 
 letter was written : — 
 
 ''Senor Alonso, — I have learnt that when 
 you left your prison, you complained of me and 
 caused a rumour to be circulated that I did not 
 treat you as a gentleman. You know the 
 contrary. If that accusation were true, it would 
 be a disgrace to me. I write to beg you to 
 retract your words before those who heard 
 them, and to own the truth, that you were 
 treated with all courteous honour. In case you 
 
62 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 should refuse to do this I am resolved to make 
 you by mortal combat between us two. On foot, 
 or on horseback — and with what arms you 
 choose. Adieu. At Minervino, this Xth July." 
 
 A herald brought this letter to Don AlonsO; 
 who refused to retract his words, and accepted 
 the challenge to mortal combat. Bayard instantly 
 informed the noble Lord de la Palice, a man 
 well versed in such matters, and asked him to be 
 one of his supporters ; and his old friend 
 Bellabre for another. 
 
 When the appointed day for the combat 
 arrived, the Lord de la Palice, accompanied 
 by two hundred men-at-arms (which each of the 
 combatants allowed the other) escorted his 
 champion to the field mounted on a splendid 
 charger, and dressed in white as an emblem of 
 humility, which seems to us a little strange 
 perhaps ! They were the first on the field, 
 and when a herald was sent to summon Alonso, 
 he asked in what manner his adversary was 
 going to fight. When he was told he was on 
 horseback and in complete armour, he said — 
 
 ^' It is for me to select the weapons, as it is 
 for him to select the ground. Go and tell him 
 I shall fight on foot." 
 
 Though Alonso was a brave man he may 
 have rather repented the extreme length to 
 
THE DUEL 63 
 
 which matters had gone; certainly he was 
 reluctant to meet Bayard on horseback knowing 
 of his wonderful skill in tilting. Besides, 
 he knew that Bayard was suffering from a 
 quartan fever, or ague, and would probably 
 decline to meet him on foot, or if he did would 
 be more easily defeated than on horseback, on 
 account of his weakness. And we may well 
 suppose that Alonso did not desire to meet him 
 in combat handicapped as he was by illness. 
 But whatever his motives, he did not know his 
 man, if he thought Bayard would refuse. When 
 the herald said to him, *^ Tidings, Captain; your 
 adversary says he will only fight you on foot, 
 and it is for him to choose the weapons," there 
 was a moment's hesitation, for the fever was now 
 on him, but he replied— 
 
 "Hasten him, my friend; nothing will prevent 
 me from retrieving mine honour this day, with 
 the help of God. If he will not fight on horse- 
 back, I will fight as he pleases." 
 
 When Don Alonso saw that for his honour 
 he must fight, he sent the weapons for Bayard to 
 select, which he did very quickly, and took his 
 stand at one end of the camp, a space enclosed 
 by large stones laid roughly side by side. His 
 friend Bellabre who acted as his second stood 
 beside him, while the Lord de la Palice was the 
 keeper of the ground on his side. Don Alonso 
 
64 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 had also his second, and his keeper of the 
 ground. 
 
 When both knights had entered, armed with 
 sword and dagger, and in full armour, it was 
 observed they both wore their visors up. Both 
 knelt in silent prayer for a few moments, then 
 rising and crossing themselves they advanced 
 straight at each other. Bayard (as Brantome 
 says) ''moving as light of step as if he were 
 going to lead some fair lady down the dance." 
 The Spaniard was of a large and powerful frame, 
 and endeavoured to crush his enemy by weight 
 of blows. Bayard was naturally less strong, and 
 was weakened by the fever, but he was more 
 light and agile, and wonderfully dexterous and 
 quick in his movements. For some time they 
 fought without any decided result, but at 
 length Don Alonso was somewhat thrown 
 off his balance by an ill-directed blow, and 
 Bayard struck him so sharply on the gorget, 
 that it gave way and the sword entered the 
 throat. Feeling this to be his death-blow, Don 
 Alonso let fall his weapon, and grasping his 
 antagonist in his arms they both rolled in the 
 dust together. Before either could extricate 
 himself, Bayard, who never lost his presence 
 of mind, and had kept his poniard in his left 
 hand during the whole combat, while that of 
 the Spaniard remained in his belt, pierced him 
 
BAYARD, WHO HAD KEPT HIS PONIARD IN HIS HAND DURING THE WHOLE COMBAT, 
 . . . PIERCED HIM WITH IT TO THE BRAIN, CRYING, "SURRENDER!" 
 
THE DUEL 65 
 
 with it to the brain, crying, ^' Surrender ! " But 
 there was no reply, the deed was done, and 
 Alonso's second said, " Senor Bayardo, he is 
 dead. You have conquered." 
 
 Who was grieved? It was the victor. He 
 would have given a hundred thousand crowns 
 to have seen his adversary still living. Then, 
 grateful to the Almighty for his own safety, he 
 knelt in prayer, and after thrice kissing the earth, 
 the body of his opponent was taken out of the 
 camp, Bayard saying to the Spanish second, 
 ^^ Senor don Diego, have I done enough?" to 
 which the other sadly replied — 
 
 ^'Too much, Senor Bayardo, for the honour 
 of Spain." 
 
 ^'You know that the disposal of my adver- 
 sary's body rests with me. I make it over to 
 you, and I wish most sincerely this had never 
 happened, if only my honour had been saved." 
 
 The Spaniards sadly bore away their 
 champion, while the French conducted Bayard 
 amid the clang of trumpets and music to the 
 garrison of the Lord de la Palice. But, before 
 anything else, he entered the Church to render 
 thanks to God for his preservation. 
 
 Bayard's praises were sounded throughout 
 the kingdom, and not only by the French, but 
 also by the Spaniards, who accorded him the 
 reputation of being the most accomplished 
 knight that could be found. 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 THE COMBAT OF THE THIRTEEN 
 
 IT must be remembered that the order of the 
 events in Bayard's life are placed here accord- 
 ing to the Loyal Serviteur's account, and, as may 
 well be imagined, he was not very correct as to 
 numbers and dates. This celebrated combat of 
 thirteen a side may have been eleven a side. 
 Also it may have taken place before the duel 
 with Alonso de Soto-Mayor, on September 20, 
 1502, while the duel was in the February follow- 
 ing (not the July as we should gather). Con- 
 sidering the difficulties in those days of obtaining 
 information, we must not be too hard on the 
 chroniclers ; even eye-witnesses cannot always 
 narrate what they have seen. ^' The only facts 
 in which all agree are, that there was such a 
 tournament, and that neither party gained the 
 advantage. So much for history ! " (Prescott). 
 
 The Loyal Serviteur attributes the cause of 
 the combat to the Spaniards' desire to revenge 
 the death of Captain Alonso ; but the reason does 
 
 66 
 
THE COMBAT OF THE THIRTEEN 67 
 
 not much matter. A truce was going on, and the 
 hostile garrisons were doubtless only too glad 
 to work off their rivalry on each other during 
 their temporary inaction. Visits seem to have 
 been exchanged between them, and in the course 
 of conversation a brave Spaniard, who was in 
 Alonso's company, made this proposition — 
 
 ^'Gentlemen, I know not how you feel with 
 regard to this truce ; it only began eight days ago, 
 but already we are wearied to death by it. If 
 while it continues you could raise, say, ten against 
 ten, or twenty against twenty, on your side, I 
 would endeavour to find as many on our side 
 who would contend for the quarrel of our 
 masters. The vanquished to be the prisoners 
 of the victors." 
 
 At these words Bayard and the Lord Oroso, 
 who was with him, looked at each other, and the 
 former thus answered the Spaniard — 
 
 ^' Sir, my friend and I understand you. You 
 are anxious to encounter us, an equal number 
 being on each side. Well, you have here 
 thirteen men-at-arms ; if to-day week you will 
 meet us two miles from here, mounted and 
 armed, my friend and I will provide you with 
 thirteen opponents." 
 
 The Spaniards signified their agreement, and 
 they separated. The Lord Oroso and Bayard 
 returned to MinervinO; where they selected their 
 
68 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 men, and on the appointed day both parties 
 arrived punctually at the spot agreed on. Many 
 soldiers from the French and Spanish camps 
 came as spectators of the struggle. The ground 
 was then marked out, and certain rules drawn 
 up, such as, that those who overstepped the 
 limits of the ground should be considered as 
 prisoners, and be unable to take further part in 
 the combat ; that the same should apply to those 
 who were unhorsed ; that if, at nightfall, neither 
 side was victorious, and only one remained on 
 horseback, that one should be able to free and 
 carry off with him all his companions, leaving the 
 ground with honour. 
 
 The French then drew up on one side, and the 
 Spaniards on the other, all with their lances in 
 rest. They then spurred their horses ; but the 
 Spaniards disregarded the men, and only sought 
 to kill the horses. In this they succeeded, and 
 soon the only two who remained mounted were 
 the Lord Oroso and Bayard. But this ruse did 
 not avail the Spanish much, for their own 
 chargers refused to pass those who had been 
 killed ; they were spurred in vain, they always 
 swerved aside. Then Oroso and Bayard rushed 
 upon them violently ; and at the moment when 
 they were going to retaliate these two got behind 
 the slain horses, where they were secure as 
 behind a rampart. 
 
THE COMBAT OF THE THIRTEEN 69 
 
 The Spaniards were intensely provoked, for 
 though they were thirteen against two, they 
 could not win the day before nightfall, when, as it 
 had been agreed, the tourney was to end. But 
 the glory of the day was with the French, who 
 for four hours had fought two against thirteen, 
 without being conquered. Bayard's exploits on 
 this occasion were such that they added yet more 
 to his renown. Thus ended this somewhat un- 
 satisfactory contest, which might be considered 
 a '' drawn game." 
 
 About a month after this combat, when the 
 truce had expired. Bayard was informed by his 
 spies that a treasurer bearing gold for the Great 
 Captain^ would be obliged to pass within three 
 or four miles of his garrison. Bayard had a great 
 wish to capture this money, not indeed for him- 
 self, but to distribute to his men. He therefore 
 lay in ambush between two small hills, having 
 about twenty men with him; and he posted his 
 friend Tardieu with twenty-five Albanians the 
 other side, so that the treasurer and his guard 
 could not escape one or the other. About seven 
 in the morning Bayard's scouts warned him they 
 heard the tramp of horses, and his men were so 
 well concealed by rocks that the Spanish caval- 
 cade, with the treasurer and his servant in the 
 midst, passed by them without perceiving any- 
 thing. When they had passed, immediately the 
 
70 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 little band rushed after them with the usual cry 
 of '^ France ! France ! " and also ^' A mort ! a 
 mort." The Spaniards were utterly taken by 
 surprise, and thinking the French numbered 
 many more men than they did, fled precipitately. 
 They were only pursued a little way, for they 
 soon captured the poor treasurer and his servant, 
 who were taken to Minervino. 
 
 When, on their arrival, the saddle-bags con- 
 taining the ducats were opened. Bayard was 
 going to count them, but the treasurer said in 
 Spanish — 
 
 ^' Do not count, my Lord, there are fifteen 
 thousand ducats." 
 
 Meanwhile Tardieu returned, very discomfited 
 at having missed the prize when he beheld its 
 value. 
 
 '^ My good friend," said he, " I shall have my 
 share, for I was taking part in the enterprise." 
 
 ^' That is true," replied Bayard ; '^ but you were 
 not at the capture." And for the fun of it he 
 added, ^' And if you had been, you are under 
 my authority, and I should have only given you 
 what I thought proper." 
 
 Then Tardieu flew into a passion, and swore 
 he would have his rights. He went straightway 
 to the Lieutenant-General of the army, who sent 
 for Bayard, and each man told his tale ; and the 
 Lieutenant-General decided that Tardieu could 
 
THE COMBAT OF THE THIRTEEN 71 
 
 claim nothing, which much disconcerted him. 
 However, he was a jovial, pleasant man, and he 
 soon said — 
 
 ^' By Saint George ! I am unlucky." Then, 
 turning to Bayard, he added, ^' But, by Heaven, it 
 is all one, for you will have to feed me while we 
 are in this country, that's all." 
 
 Bayard laughed, and they returned to Miner- 
 vino, where all the ducats were spread on a table 
 as if to tantalize Tardieu. 
 
 ^' What do you think, my friend ? " said Bayard 
 mockingly, " A fine sugar-plum, eh ? " 
 
 ''Yes, by all the devils!" replied Tardieu; 
 ''but nothing for, me. I wish I were hanged! 
 With half that I should be rich, and a prosperous 
 man all my life." 
 
 " What, my friend, if you had that, would 
 your happiness be assured in this world ? 
 Well, that which you have not been able to 
 obtain by force, I give you willingly, and with 
 all my heart. You shall have the half, all told." 
 
 And he instantly made over to him seven 
 thousand five hundred ducats. Tardieu, who at 
 first thought he was being mocked, when he 
 actually saw the sum in his possession, threw 
 himself on his knees, and said, with tears of joy — 
 
 " Alas ! my friend and my master, how can 
 I prove my gratitude for your great kindness ? 
 Surely never was Alexander so liberal ! " 
 
72 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 '' Be silent, friend ; if I were able I would do 
 yet more for you." 
 
 After this Tardieu was rich all through his 
 life, for by means of this money, after they 
 returned from Naples into France he married 
 an heiress in his own province, a daughter of a 
 Lord de Saint-Martin, who had a large dowry. 
 
 We must now learn what became of the 
 other seven thousand five hundred ducats which 
 remained. Bayard, ^' whose heart was as a 
 pearl," called all those of his garrison around 
 him, and distributed to each, according to his 
 rank, without reserving to himself one farthing. 
 And he did not forget the unfortunate treasurer, 
 but said to him — 
 
 '' Friend, I know full well that if I would, I 
 could justly demand a ransom for you ; but I will 
 be content with what I have already had. I will 
 cause you to be conducted safe to any place you 
 may desire ; nothing further will be taken from 
 you, and you will not be searched." 
 
 The prudent treasurer seems to have had 
 somewhere about him five hundred ducats or 
 more. He was escorted safe to Barletta, and 
 considered himself happy to have fallen into 
 such good hands. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 THE BRIDGE 
 
 /^NE of Bayard's most celebrated exploits 
 ^-^ was his defence, single-handed, of the 
 bridge over the Garigliano against a large body 
 of Spaniards. We are reminded of Horatius 
 Codes! Both armies had suffered much, being 
 encamped in damp and dreary morasses with 
 barely the necessaries of life, and the weather 
 was inclement, it being in the middle of winter. 
 The French troops, in spite of the heroism of 
 many, were disorderly, and the Spaniards were 
 gaining on them ; but not to enter into the many 
 skirmishes that took place, let us only look at 
 the part Bayard took according to the account 
 given by his faithful follower. 
 
 He recognizes the bravery of the Spaniards 
 as well as of the French, and specially mentions 
 among the former the Great Captain and a 
 certain Captain Pedro de Paz. This last was a 
 very small man, only about three feet in height ; 
 but no one was ever braver ; he was so hump- 
 backed and so short, that only his head was 
 
 73 
 
74 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 visible when he was on horseback. One day 
 Captain de Paz thought he would make a sally ; 
 he forded the Garigliano with a hundred and 
 twenty horsemen, each man carrying behind him 
 a foot soldier armed with an arquebuse. His 
 aim was to attract the greater part of the French 
 army, and make them abandon the bridge, so 
 that the Spaniards might then cross it. His 
 manoeuvre succeeded, and the French, thinking 
 they had the whole of the hostile army to deal 
 with, were alarmed and retreated before Pedro 
 de Paz. 
 
 However, Bayard, always liking to be in the 
 front of the fray, had placed his tent near the 
 bridge, with an esquire named Le Basque. 
 Hearing the noise, they armed and mounted 
 their horses to go whither it proceeded ; but on 
 looking towards the river they saw two hundred 
 Spaniards advancing straight on the bridge to 
 get possession of it, which, if they so succeeded, 
 meant the total destruction of the French army. 
 Turning to Le Basque, Bayard said — 
 
 '^ Sir squire, hasten to warn our men to come 
 and guard this bridge. I will amuse them till 
 your return — but make haste." 
 
 Le Basque departed, and Bayard, lance in 
 hand stationed himself at the end of the bridge, 
 just as the Spaniards came up to go over it. 
 Like a lion at bay, he put his lance in rest, and 
 
THE BRIDGE 75 
 
 charged the first group who set foot on the 
 bridge ; two or three staggered back; and two of 
 them fell into the river, from which they never 
 rose (for it was deep and rapid). After that he 
 had indeed his work cut out for him, being so 
 sorely beset that had it not been for his expert 
 horsemanship he could not have resisted. Re- 
 treating to the barrier of the bridge, so that he 
 could not be attacked from behind, he defended 
 himself so well with his sword, and dealt such 
 furious blows, that his enemies felt as if they 
 were fighting with an invincible demon. In 
 short, he was able to hold out till Le Basque had 
 time to come to his aid with a body of men, who 
 compelled the Spaniards to abandon the bridge, 
 and then chased them for a full mile. They very 
 likely would have pursued them further had they 
 not perceived a large force of Spanish horsemen 
 coming to succour their companions, and Bayard 
 said— 
 
 ^'Gentlemen, we have done enough to-day in 
 defending the bridge ; let us retreat in good 
 order." 
 
 This was considered to be good advice, and 
 the French beat a rapid retreat. Bayard being 
 ever the last, and remaining in the post of 
 greatest danger. At last he found himself in 
 great difficulty, on account of his horse, who 
 had carried him throughout the day and was 
 
76 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 completely exhausted. At this moment a fresh 
 body of the enemy descended on the French, 
 and many of them were brought to the ground. 
 Bayard's horse was backed almost into a ditch 
 and surrounded by twenty horsemen all crying, 
 '' Surrender, surrender, Senor." Bayard replied, 
 fighting as he spoke — 
 
 '' Sirs, I must needs yield ; I cannot fight 
 you all." 
 
 In the meantime, his companions were far 
 away, going straight towards the bridge, and 
 never thinking but that Bayard was amongst 
 them. But when they were some distance off, 
 one of the party, a gentleman from Dauphiny, 
 and a neighbour of Bayard's, exclaimed — 
 
 '' Ah, sirs, we have lost all. Captain Bayard 
 is either dead or a prisoner. He is not with us ! 
 We shall never know his fate. And to-day, when 
 he has led us so valiantly, and gained us so much 
 honour ! I vow to God that I will return, if I 
 have to go alone, and I will bring tidings of him, 
 or lose my life or liberty in the attempt." (There 
 are some who affirm the speaker of these words 
 was our old friend Bellabre, not the gentleman 
 from Dauphiny). 
 
 Every soldier was cut to the heart by these 
 words. Every man got off his horse to re-adjust 
 the saddle, and remounting, with reckless courage 
 and heedless of consequences galloped after the 
 
THE BRIDGE 77 
 
 Spaniards, who were carrying off the flower 
 and elite of all their noble knights, who had been 
 lost to them for a time solely through his horse 
 failing him. 
 
 When the Spaniards had taken their prisoner, 
 they were so many that they did not trouble to 
 disarm him further than by taking away his 
 battle-axe; they even left him his sword. As 
 they marched along, they asked him who he was ; 
 but he evaded the question, being aware that if 
 they knew his name, he would never escape with 
 life ; for the Spaniards held him in great awe, 
 and would never have consented to exchange him. 
 So he merely replied that he was a gentleman. 
 
 When the French came up shouting, *' France ! 
 France! Turn, turn. Spaniards, you will not 
 carry off our leader thus ! " the Spaniards, were 
 very much surprised ; but they boldly confronted 
 the desperate charge, though several of the best 
 mounted of them were hurled to the ground. 
 Bayard saw this, and being fully armed, only 
 wanted a fresh horse. So he dismounted his 
 poor weary beast, and without putting foot in 
 stirrup leapt on the back"of a fine charger, whose 
 rider had been unhorsed by Le Basque. 
 
 Being once more well mounted, he raised his 
 cry of, ^'France! France !' Bayard! Bayard!" 
 with the mocking words added, '' He whom you 
 have let go ! " 
 
78 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 When the Spaniards heard his name, and 
 realized the'grave mistake they had made in allow- 
 ing their prisoner to retain his arms, without even 
 saying, " recours ou non," that is to say, without 
 his having sworn to fight no more, ^' rescue or no 
 rescue " (for if Bayard had given his parole he 
 would never have broken it), their hearts failed 
 them, and they said among themselves, ^' Let us 
 return to our camp. We shall do no good here 
 to-day." They left at a gallop, and the French, 
 seeing the shadows of night approaching, and 
 happy at having recovered their beloved leader, 
 returned gaily to their quarters, and for a week 
 at least the whole talk was of this adventure, and 
 of Bayard's exploits. 
 
 After these things the French did not remain 
 long in the kingdom of Naples, though Captain 
 Louis d'Ars and Bayard stayed some time longer. 
 The majority of the troops went back to their 
 native country in somewhat sorry plight. As 
 they journeyed through Rome, Pope Julius 
 treated them well, but afterwards, according to 
 some, '^cheated them most thoroughly." Bayard 
 and his Captain were to their great regret sum- 
 moned to France by the King in 1504, where they 
 were honourably welcomed. 
 
 Pope Julius II. occupies a prominent place in 
 the history of these times. He became Pope in 
 September, 1503, and was in character more a 
 
THE BRIDGE 79 
 
 soldier than a priest. Ten years was he Pope, 
 and during that time was almost always at war. 
 It should be remembered that he was a great 
 patron of the arts, and was the friend and patron 
 of Michael Angelo and of Raphael. It has been 
 said that the ruling passion of his mind, next to 
 ambition and love of power, was hatred of the 
 court of France. 
 
 The revolt of the Genoese caused the return 
 of a French force into Italy. At this time Bayard 
 was at Lyons, ill with a quartan fever from which 
 he had suffered for seven years. His arm also 
 troubled him much on account of a pike-thrust, 
 which had been badly dressed and would not 
 heal. On his return from Naples, Louis XII. 
 had kept him as one of his squires of the stable, 
 until the command of a company of men-at-arms 
 was vacant. Thus honoured by his royal master. 
 Bayard thought it would indeed be faint-hearted 
 if he did not follow him across the Alps. So, ill 
 as he was, he made his preparations and joined 
 the rest of the force bound for Genoa. 
 
 When the French army approached that city, 
 they found the Genoese had constructed a strong 
 bastion on the top of a mountain under which 
 they must pass, held by good men and artillery, 
 which much surprised them. The King 
 assembled his captains and asked their advice. 
 Some were for being prudent, thinking there 
 
80 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 might be a dangerously strong force there. 
 Others were of opinion it was only a mob, who 
 would not show much resistance. The King then 
 turned to Bayard with the words, '' Bayard, what 
 do you think?" 
 
 '' On my faith, sire," he replied, " I cannot 
 advise you. It would be better to go and see 
 what they are doing up there. With your per- 
 mission, within an hour I will bring you tidings, 
 or perish, or be made prisoner in the attempt." 
 
 " I beg of you to go," said the King, '' for you 
 well understand such matters." 
 
 Bayard did not delay to sound the alarm, and 
 he was joined by several of his friends and com- 
 panions, numbering perhaps about a hundred 
 and twenty. Then he began to ascend the 
 mountain, giving them a good lead. But they 
 had to work hard before they could get to the 
 top, where they halted to take breath, and then 
 they marched straight towards the bastion. They 
 encountered considerable resistance on their 
 way, but at length the Genoese turned and fled, 
 and their opponents wished to pursue them, but 
 Bayard called out — 
 
 " No, sirs, straight to the bastion. There may 
 be some there who would surround us ; let us go 
 and see." 
 
 His advice was followed ; and as he had pre- 
 dicted there were two or three hundred men in 
 
THE BRIDGE 81 
 
 the bastion, who defended themselves at first with 
 much energy, but who ended by abandoning 
 their position, and flying like lightning down the 
 mountain-side, till they reached the city. Thus 
 was the bastion taken. 
 
 After this the Genoese did not do much more, 
 but surrendered themselves to the mercy of the 
 King of France. 
 
CHAPTER X 
 BEFORE PADUA 
 
 IN the March of 1508 the Chevalier Bayard 
 was sent for to the King of France, who 
 thus addressed him — 
 
 " Bayard, you are aware I am going against 
 the Venetians, who have taken Cremona and 
 other places. I desire that in this expedition 
 you should raise for me some foot soldiers, 
 although I have appointed you to the company 
 of Captain Chatelard. Your lieutenant, Captain 
 Pierrepont, a reliable man, can lead your men- 
 at-arms." 
 
 ''Sire," replied Bayard, ''I will do your 
 pleasure ; but how many infantry am I to 
 escort?" 
 
 "A thousand men; no one has more." 
 
 ''Sire," answered Bayard, "that is too many 
 for my experience. I beg of you to give me 
 only five hundred. I undertake they shall be 
 well chosen ; but it seems to me that is enough 
 for one man, if he does his duty." 
 
 82 
 
BEFORE PADUA 8 
 
 ''Be it so/' said the King. ''Go at once to 
 your Dauphiny, and arrange so as to be in 
 Milan by the end of March." 
 
 The men were raised by their captains, and 
 so well did they do it on this occasion that by 
 the beginning of April they were all in the 
 Duchy of Milan, occupying the garrisons. 
 
 The Venetians, who had been already chal- 
 lenged by the herald Montjoie, resolved to 
 defend themselves, and, knowing that the forces 
 of the King of France were but small, levied a 
 large army. 
 
 Rapidly did Louis conquer many towns and 
 strongholds of the Venetians, and even Pes- 
 chiera, which was ably defended. Other towns 
 such as Verona and Padua gave up their keys 
 to him, and Louis passed them on to the Em- 
 peror, who had not yet appeared in Italy. 
 
 As the Emperor had only sent eight hundred 
 lansquenets to guard Padua, which was six 
 miles in circumference, it was re-taken. There- 
 upon he sent a letter to the King of France 
 begging him to send a reinforcement of five 
 hundred men, so as to regain possession of it. 
 Louis was very angry at this being necessary, 
 and at the Emperor for having allowed it to be 
 taken through sending such a small force to 
 garrison it ; however, he ordered the Lord de la 
 Palice to go with five hundred picked men to 
 
84 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 Padua to reinforce the troops there. The Lord 
 de la Palice, who loved similar commissions (for 
 life spelt war to him), made his preparations. 
 
 As he left the castle of Milan, he met Bayard, 
 and said — 
 
 ''Shall we go together, my friend?" 
 
 Bayard desired nothing better, and readily 
 agreed, subject to the consent of his chief. 
 
 The Emperor Maximilian was expected long 
 before he arrived, which was not till August. 
 He met the French captains at the little town of 
 Este, and welcomed them heartily. He had 
 brought a very fine army with him, having 
 entered Lombardy with all the pomp of an 
 Emperor ; and if his troops had done their duty, 
 he might have conquered the world. 
 
 He had six pieces of artillery, the smallest of 
 which was a falconet or small cannon. He had 
 also ten pieces of heavy ordnance, which could 
 not be fired off from their gun-carriages, but 
 were drawn on strong waggons and accom- 
 panied by cranes ; and when they were to be 
 fired, they were placed on the ground and the 
 mouth of the piece was raised slightly with the 
 crane and supported by a large piece of wood, 
 and behind was a solid butt to prevent the recoil. 
 These pieces fired off bullets of stone almost too 
 heavy to be lifted, and they could never be fired 
 more than four times a day at the most. A 
 
BEFORE PADUA 85 
 
 great fault in this artillery was that it had only 
 the means of transporting half the guns at once ; 
 and when marching, a part of the army had 
 always to remain to guard half of it, till the 
 waggons should return after having conveyed 
 the first half! 
 
 The Emperor first established his camp about 
 eight miles from Padua, and there summoned a 
 council of war, at which it was decided that the 
 French men-at-arms and the lansquenets (the 
 most distinguished German regiment) were to 
 lead the approach to Padua. But first it was 
 necessary to take the small town of Monselice, 
 which had a very strong fortress. This was 
 accomplished, and two days afterwards the army 
 went straight to besiege Padua. 
 
 Padua is a large city, difficult to attack, and 
 was guarded by the Count Petigliano and a 
 large force of cavalry, infantry, and artillery. It 
 was settled that the chief camp, where the 
 Emperor was, and also the French, should be 
 stationed near one of the gates of the city, and 
 Bayard with the other captains was to approach 
 this gate. Now, in order to do this, they had 
 to march along a long road, straight as a dart, 
 across which there were four strong barricades 
 two hundred paces apart, and each well defended. 
 Each side of this road there were deep ditches, 
 and from the walls of the city there poured 
 
86 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 a constant fire from the artillery stationed 
 there. 
 
 Notwithstanding all these obstacles, Bayard 
 and his companions pressed forward, and soon 
 came to the first barricade, which they assaulted 
 and captured under a hail from the arquebuses, 
 driving the enemy back to the second. This 
 also was taken, and the third was abandoned by 
 the enemy, in order that they might concentrate 
 all their powers of resistance on the fourth and 
 last barricade. Not much harm was done the 
 assailants, although the defenders were now 
 inspired with new courage by the thought that 
 the fight would soon be at the very ramparts. 
 The assault lasted an hour, a hand-to-hand fight 
 with sword and arquebuse. Bayard then called 
 out — 
 
 "Gentlemen, these men amuse us far too 
 long. Dismount and force the barricade." 
 
 Thirty or forty men-at-arms at once dis- 
 mounted, and with visors raised, marched 
 straight at it. The brave Prince of Anhalt and 
 other noblemen marched by Bayard's side; but 
 the Venetians were being constantly reinforced 
 from the city, and when Bayard realized this, he 
 shouted — 
 
 ^' Gentlemen, we may stay here for six years 
 without doing anything ; for their men are 
 replaced every moment. Charge them ! And 
 
BEFORE PADUA 87 
 
 let every one act as I do." This was agreed 
 to, and Bayard shouted again, '^ Sound the 
 trumpet ! " 
 
 Then, like a lion robbed of its whelps, he 
 dashed forward with his men, and making a 
 furious assault, forced the Venetians to retreat 
 from the barricade at the point of the pike. 
 Then crying, ''Forward, comrades, they are 
 ours ! " he, and about thirty or forty others, 
 vaulted over the barrier. The rest of the 
 French seeing the danger in which the fore- 
 most stood, did not hesitate to follow them, and 
 amid the cries of '' France ! France ! Empire ! 
 Empire!" they charged so violently that their 
 enemies turned their backs and fled broken and 
 disordered into the city. Thus were taken the 
 barricades of Padua, in broad daylight — an 
 achievement which did great credit to the 
 French cavalry and infantry, and especially to 
 Bayard himself. 
 
 Having gained the approach to the city, the 
 artillery was ranged at the edge of the moat, 
 and remained there six weeks, till the siege was 
 raised. 
 
 The day after the barricades were taken, the 
 bombardment began. It lasted for eight days 
 and was most terrible, all the camp being 
 engaged in it, and those in the walls using their 
 artillery with great skill against their assailants. 
 
88 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 At length a very large breach was made, and 
 the Emperor resolved to attack the city. But 
 first we must speak of an adventure of Bayard. 
 
 During the siege there were frequent alarms 
 in the Emperor's camp, sometimes caused by 
 sallies from the city, and sometimes by the 
 Venetians from a garrison some twenty miles 
 distant. There was a certain Messire Malvezzi; 
 a most enterprising soldier, and two or three 
 times a week he would come and rouse the 
 Emperor's camp without ever losing a man. 
 This behaviour much vexed Bayard, and without 
 saying a word, he learnt by means of well-paid 
 spies the movements of Messire Malvezzi, and 
 he resolved to go out and meet him. So he 
 went to two of his company who lodged with 
 him and said— 
 
 '' Gentlemen, we have been tricked enough by 
 Messire Malvezzi ; not a day passes but he gives 
 us an alarm, and the talk is all of him. I am not 
 jealous of him, but I am vexed that he does not 
 know us better. Will you come and fight him ? " 
 
 '' We will follow you," was the reply. There- 
 upon Bayard explained his plan of action. 
 
 Between two and three in the morning in the 
 month of September, a chosen body of men 
 mounted their horses, very quietly, and with no 
 sound of trumpet. An excellent guide, whom 
 Bayard had procured, led the way, guarded by 
 
BEFORE PADUA 89 
 
 four archers. He was promised a good sum, if 
 he did his duty well, and death if he deceived his 
 employers. Spies were often traitors, but this 
 one acquitted himself well, taking them across 
 country till the day dawned. They then dis- 
 covered they had reached a large palace enclosed 
 in high walls, and the spy told them that if 
 Malvezzi visited their camp he must of necessity 
 pass by there, and that if they entered the palace, 
 which was deserted on account of the war, they 
 would see him pass. All agreed to this plan, and 
 waited in the empty palace about two hours, 
 Bayard having posted an old and very experi- 
 enced archer in a dovecot, from whence he could 
 see who came. In due time this archer reported 
 with joy, that he had seen Malvezzi with two 
 or three hundred well-mounted men. Bayard 
 ordered them to re-strap their horses, for they 
 had no pages or attendants with them, and 
 said — 
 
 ^' Gentlemen, it is ten years since we had such 
 an adventure. They are twice our number, but 
 that is nothing. Let us after them." 
 
 '^ Come on ! Come on ! " was the reply. So 
 the horses were mounted, and they went at a 
 quick pace after the band. 
 
 ^' Sound the trumpet," shouted Bayard, and 
 the trumpet sounded no uncertain note, we 
 may be sure. 
 
90 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 The Venetians never dreamt that the French 
 were behind them, but thought it was some of 
 their own party also sallying forth. However 
 they stopped; and at last recognized that they 
 were enemies. Malvezzi called on his men to 
 stand firm, to be either victors or vanquished, 
 there being no middle course, hemmed in as 
 they were by a deep ditch on either side of the 
 road, too wide for an ordinary horse to ford. 
 The trumpet sounded on each side, and the 
 two bands rushed at each other to the cries 
 of " Empire ! Empire ! France ! France ! " and 
 "Marco! Marco!" It was a furious fight, and ended 
 in the defeat of Malvezzi, who however, being 
 exceptionally well mounted, leapt his horse across 
 the ditch, and followed by some others equally 
 fortunate in their horses, escaped. It would have 
 been a waste of time to attempt to follow them. 
 
 The French returned to their camp with their 
 prisoners, more numerous than they themselves. 
 Reaching the camp they found the Emperor 
 walking outside, who seeing the dust they all 
 caused, asked what it was. He was very pleased, 
 and congratulated each Captain, and said to 
 Bayard — 
 
 " My Lord of Bayard, my brother your master 
 is happy to have such a follower as yourself. I 
 would give a hundred thousand florins to have a 
 dozen such as you ! " 
 
I WOULD GIVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND FLORINS TO HAVE A DOZEN SUCH AS YOU ! 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
 THE END OF THE SIEGE 
 
 "ITSTE have said that the artillery of the 
 Emperor had made a large breach in the 
 walls. Three joined in one amounted to half a 
 mile in length. When Maximilian found how 
 large an opening it was, he was ashamed an 
 assault had not been made sooner, and calling 
 one of his French secretaries, he dictated a letter 
 to the Lord de la Palice, in these terms — 
 
 ''My Cousin,— I have this morning seen the 
 breach in the walls, which is more than sufficient. 
 I have therefore determined to make the assault 
 this very day. I beg therefore, that at the sound 
 of my great drum, that is to say, at noon, you 
 will have ail the French gentlemen under your 
 command ready for my service, according to the 
 orders of my brother the King of France, to go 
 to the assault with my infantry. I hope with the 
 help of God, we shall be victorious." 
 
 The Lord de la Palice thought this a strange 
 
 91 
 
92 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 proceeding, but he only said to the secretary who 
 delivered the letter, that he was surprised the 
 Emperor had not summoned them to consult on 
 the matter, that he would show the French 
 Captains the letter, and that he did not doubt 
 their obedience. 
 
 So the Captains were summoned to his house ; 
 but we must first just mention a curious thing. 
 The rumour had got about that the assault was 
 to be made immediately, and not only were 
 priests most eagerly sought for to hear confes- 
 sions, as was very usual before a serious battle, 
 but they were wanted to take charge of large 
 sums of money, for never was a camp so rich as 
 this one. Not a day passed but cattle, and corn, 
 and silk, and other things were sent into Germany, 
 and well paid for. But to return to the Captains. 
 The Lord de la Palice greeted them with the 
 words — 
 
 " Gentlemen, we must dine, for I have some- 
 thing to tell you afterwards which might take 
 away your appetites." 
 
 He spoke of course in jest, for he knew each 
 one to be another Hector or Roland, and 
 particularly Bayard; who was never agitated at 
 anything he saw or heard. After dinner (we 
 must remember how early the dinner-hour was 
 then) he read the Emperor's letter twice, that it 
 might be fully understood. His audience looked 
 
THE END OF THE SIEGE 93 
 
 at each other, smiling, and waited to see who 
 would speak first. At last one nobleman 
 said — 
 
 '' It is not worth thinking about, my Lord de 
 la Palice ; tell the Emperor we are all ready. I 
 am tired of being in this country, for the nights 
 are cold ; and the best wine has nearly come to 
 an end." 
 
 Every one laughingly agreed. Bayard alone 
 said nothing, till La Palice turned to him with 
 the remark— 
 
 ^^ How now, Hercules of France, what do you 
 say?" 
 
 Bayard replied merrily, for he loved a jest, 
 but he pointed out that it was a poor amusement 
 to march in on foot with the rank and file of the 
 Emperor's infantry, that all the French volun- 
 teers were gentlemen, and that to expect them 
 to do so was not treating them, or their master, 
 the King of France, properly. If the German 
 counts, lords, and gentlemen would also go on 
 foot, the French gentlemen would show them 
 the way willingly. As to the lansquenets — they 
 could follow if they saw matters were turning 
 out well. 
 
 This opinion was agreed to, and it was 
 suitably communicated to the Emperor, who 
 found it reasonable; and the trumpet was 
 sounded and the drum beaten to summon his 
 
 J" 
 
94 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 staff. He then announced that he was resolved 
 to proceed to the assault in one hour, and that 
 he had informed the French of this, who were 
 quite willing to do their duty, provided the 
 gentlemen of Germany would march with them. 
 
 '' Therefore, my Lords," he added, " I beg of 
 you to accompany them on foot. I trust that in 
 the first assault we shall by the help of God 
 vanquish our enemies." 
 
 And then arose such a hubbub which was 
 not stilled under half an hour. At first one spoke 
 for all the others, and said it was not their duty 
 to attack the breach on foot, their place was to 
 fight like gentlemen on horseback. And no 
 other reply could the Emperor obtain, and 
 dissolved the meeting, saying — 
 
 " Well then, my Lords, you must tell us 
 what is to be done for the best." 
 
 His vexation may be imagined when he knew 
 the willingness of the French captains, while 
 his own would do nothing for him. The next 
 morning, angry and depressed, he left the camp 
 very quietly, accompanied by a body of cavalry, 
 and his most trusted followers, and went without 
 stopping thirty or forty miles from Padua, 
 towards Germany. He sent his commands from 
 there to his own Lieutenant-General, and to the 
 Lord de la Palice to remove the camp as 
 creditably as they could. 
 
THE END OF THE SIEGE 95 
 
 Every one was astonished at this decision, 
 but there was nothing to be done. French and 
 German captains now held council together, and 
 decided to raise the siege, which was by no 
 means easy because of the artillery, which as we 
 have said, could only be removed half at a time. 
 The French were left in charge of the artillery, 
 which the noble Prince of Anhalt, trusting them 
 more than his own countrymen, arranged. They 
 worked, ready for fighting, from the dawn of 
 day till two o'clock the next night, scarcely 
 taking time to eat. The siege was raised, how- 
 ever, without the loss of a single man to the 
 Emperor or to the French. The worst feature 
 was the lansquenets burnt every house they 
 could as they passed by, and Bayard out of good 
 feeling sent some of his men to protect the place 
 where he himself had been quartered, till after 
 they had passed by. He was no friend to such 
 wanton destruction. 
 
 The army advanced by stages to Vicenza, 
 from whence the Emperor sent presents to all 
 the French captains. Here the troops separa- 
 ting. Bayard went into garrison at Verona. 
 
 He was there in the winter after the retreat 
 from Padua, and the Venetians were encamped 
 about fifteen miles away. On their side was 
 a very daring and intrepid captain named 
 Monfroni, who each day made a sortie up to the 
 
96 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 very gates of Verona. This irritated Bayard, 
 and he resolved to go out with his foragers him- 
 self, and if possible make use of some of the 
 tricks of war against them; but he could do 
 nothing without its being reported to Captain 
 Monfroni by a spy within the French quarters. 
 
 One Thursday morning the foragers left 
 Verona escorted by the brave Captain Pierre- 
 pont. They left the high-road to find the small 
 country houses which furnished them with 
 provisions, Bayard with a hundred men-at- 
 arms going to a small village, and on the look- 
 out for the Venetians. Soon his scouts reported 
 that a body of cavalry was coming, and he went 
 to meet them. But Captain Monfroni, knowing 
 his movements through the spy, had stationed 
 a number of men in a neighbouring palace. 
 When Bayard saw the enemy and was going to 
 charge them, they withdrew to near this ambush, 
 and the men rushed out from it, and threw 
 themselves with fierce cries on the French. 
 Bayard's horse was killed and the animal fell 
 on his master's foot, imprisoning him till one 
 of his comrades came to his assistance. Both 
 horse and rider were taken prisoners. 
 
 At this moment Captain Pierrepont, who 
 was with the foragers, hearing the noise, came 
 up just at the critical instant, and forced the 
 Venetians to abandon their capture in their own 
 
THE END OF THE SIEGE 97 
 
 defence. So Bayard and his rescuer were able 
 to remount and join their own men. However, 
 they were outnumbered so that even Bayard 
 said — 
 
 '' Captain, if we do not reach the high-road 
 we are lost. Once there, we may retire in spite 
 of them without danger. 
 
 '^ That is my advice also," replied Pierrepont ; 
 and the high-road was at length reached with 
 much difficulty, but without losing a man. 
 Then the retreat began, though they had con- 
 stantly to turn and face their enemies, who 
 harassed them incessantly ; and at last Bayard 
 had another horse killed under him. When he 
 felt the poor animal stagger, he leapt to the 
 ground, and, notwithstanding his prowess, he 
 would have fared badly, had it not been for his 
 standard-bearer, who with his archers charged 
 so vehemently, that he extricated his captain 
 from the midst of the Venetians, and re-mounted 
 him. 
 
 The night was drawing on, and Bayard 
 stopped any further charging, saying it was 
 enough to beat an honourable retreat. Monfroni, 
 seeing he could do no more harm, and fearing 
 help might arrive from Verona, sounded the 
 retreat, and returned with his cavalry to his 
 garrison. But his foot-soldiers were much 
 fatigued, having fought for many hours at a 
 
 H 
 
98 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 stretch, and insisted on stopping some five 
 miles short of their quarters. 
 
 Bayard and his followers were lodging for 
 the night at the village of Saint-Martin, and 
 while they were there, supping gaily, a spy 
 came to Bayard who reported that Captain 
 Monfroni had returned furious, declaring he had 
 had to deal with devils rather than with men. 
 The spy also said that in passing through a 
 village a few miles from Verona, he had found 
 it full of foot-soldiers, who seemed very tired. 
 
 '' Those are our friends of a little while ago," 
 said Bayard ; ^' they would not march back all the 
 way. They are ours, if we like; the moon is 
 bright. Let us supper our horses, and about 
 four o'clock in the morning we will go and wake 
 them." 
 
 The horses were attended to, the watch was 
 set, and they took a brief rest. But very early 
 and very quietly Bayard and his men re-mounted 
 their horses, and rode to the village where the 
 Venetians were. They found them fast asleep, 
 and no guard whatsoever, and, as they emerged 
 half awake from the houses where they were, 
 they were all killed except three, who were 
 exchanged for French prisoners. One would 
 prefer to say that Bayard had saved their lives, 
 but those were rough times, in which every man 
 had to take his chance, and twice that day had 
 
THE END OF THE SIEGE 99 
 
 Bayard himself been all but taken, ever holding 
 his own life cheap, and sometimes probably 
 also the lives of others. The Loyal Serviteur 
 makes no comment on this incident, he merely 
 relates it. 
 
A 
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 BAYARD AND POPE JULIUS 
 
 ND now the figure of another hero flits across 
 the canvas in the person of Gaston de Poix, 
 Duke of Nemours, and nephew to the King of 
 France, a very young man of not much over 
 twenty, but a true soldier, and with talents and 
 military skill far beyond his years. 
 
 In the beginning of 1510 this noble Duke, 
 bringing in his company Captain Louis d'Ars, 
 came into Italy, where he met with a warm 
 reception from all, and especially from his old 
 friend Bayard, who was also delighted to wel- 
 come his old Captain Louis d'Ars. They soon 
 proceeded with other troops under the command 
 of different noblemen to the siege of Legnago, 
 a strong fortress which was still held by the 
 Venetians. It yielded, however, to the good 
 artillery of the besiegers, who were possessed 
 of one remarkable piece, a culverin of great 
 length, which went by the name of " Le grand 
 diable." Not long after this the Emperor's 
 
 100 
 
BAYARD AND POPE JULIUS 101 
 
 troops and the Spanish contingent marched into 
 Venetian territory. 
 
 About this time a most terrible incident 
 occurred. Some of the troops came to a village 
 called Longaro, where there was a kind of cave 
 in the mountain, called ''the grotto of Longaro." 
 The people all around, frightened by the war, 
 had taken refuge in this cave in great numbers, 
 where they had plenty of provisions with them, 
 and sufficient arquebuses and other weapons 
 to defend the opening. So it was practically 
 impregnable, for only one person could approach 
 it at a time. The lowest class of the soldiery, 
 always given to pillaging, arrived at the cave 
 and demanded entrance; but they were bidden 
 to retire, and assured there was nothing there 
 worth their having, for the people inside had 
 left all their goods in their own houses. The 
 rascals tried to force an entrance, and two were 
 killed, while the others went and fetched their 
 comrades, who, when they saw it was impossible 
 to enter, devised a dastardly and wicked plan. 
 They built up the doorway with wood and 
 straw and hay, and set fire to it. Soon the 
 smoke filled the grotto, which could only get 
 air through the entrance, and the people 
 inside were suffocated. When the fire had 
 now spent itself they entered the cave, to 
 find there men and women of the nobility 
 
102 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 lying dead on the ground, as if they were 
 sleeping. 
 
 The adventurers got a great deal of booty ; 
 but all the Captains were extremely angry, and 
 especially Bayard, who spent the whole day in 
 seeking for the authors of this cruelty. He 
 traced two, perhaps partly by their ears (or 
 rather want of them), which showed they had 
 already been in the hands of justice, and they 
 were hanged before the grotto. Bayard was 
 himself present at their execution, and while 
 he was there, he saw a boy of about fifteen 
 emerge from the recesses of the cave, quite 
 yellow with the smoke and more dead than 
 alive. When he was asked how he had escaped, 
 he answered that he went to the end of the 
 cave farthest from the opening, and there was 
 a tiny cleft in the rock, which gave him air. 
 He told a piteous story of how some, seeing the 
 fire being prepared, wished to go out at all 
 hazards, but the others could not bring them- 
 selves to consent. 
 
 Soon after this, the troops were preparing to 
 go and again besiege Padua, but the news came 
 that Pope Julius had raised a numerous army 
 against the Duke of Ferrara, and the latter 
 asked for the help of the French. It is said 
 that to console themselves for being disap- 
 pointed of besieging Padua, a number of young 
 
BAYARD AND POPE JULIUS 103 
 
 Frenchmen rode at full gallop right up to the 
 gates, planted there their lances decked with the 
 colours of their ladies, and then rode off. 
 
 Pope Julius, who desired to take the Duchy 
 of Ferrara, sent to the Countess of Mirandola, 
 requiring her to give up that town ; but she was 
 the daughter of Trivulzio, and being like her 
 father, French at heart, refused to do so. The 
 Pope was very angry, and commanded his 
 nephew the Duke d'Urbino to besiege Mirandola. 
 She asked for help from the Duke of Ferrara, a 
 wise and good prince, and he sent a body of 
 men and also some French gentlemen. Bayard 
 escorted them to the town, but did not enter it 
 with them. Three days after they had reached 
 it, the siege began. 
 
 Bayard, who never grudged paying his spies, 
 learnt through them that the Pope was going 
 to be present at the siege, and he said to the 
 Duke of Ferrara and another nobleman — 
 
 ^' My Lords, I have heard that the Pope will 
 leave San Felice to-morrow morning to go to 
 Mirandola. There are six good miles between 
 them. I have an idea, and if it pleases you, it 
 will be talked of a hundred years hence. Two 
 miles from San Felice there are two or three 
 deserted palaces ; I will take possession of one 
 with my men-at-arms, without pages or 
 attendants, and when the Pope passes (I know 
 
104 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 he will only have his Cardinals and Bishops, 
 and notaries, and a guard of a hundred horse- 
 men) I will emerge from my ambush, and 
 certainly capture him." 
 
 This advice was thought good, and Bayard 
 set about executing his project; he met neither 
 man nor woman who would betray him, and 
 before dawn he was lodged in one of the palaces. 
 The Pope, who was an early riser, mounted his 
 litter as soon as it was light. The clerks and 
 notaries and officials of all sorts went first to 
 prepare the quarters. As soon as Bayard heard 
 them coming he left his ambush and charged 
 them, which so frightened them that they fled, 
 crying, " Alarm ! Alarm ! " But that was no use, 
 and Pope, Cardinals, and Bishops would all 
 have been taken, but for a piece of good fortune 
 for the Pope, and ill-luck for Bayard. The 
 former had only gone a very little way in his 
 litter when there came the sharpest and most 
 violent snowstorm that had been seen for a 
 century. It was blinding, and the Cardinal of 
 Pavia said — 
 
 ''Holy Father, it is impossible to travel while 
 this continues. Cost what it may, you must 
 stop and return." 
 
 The Pope consented, and Bayard, pursuing 
 the flying suite, arrived at San Felice at the 
 very moment when the Pope was entering the 
 
BAYARD AND POPE JULIUS 105 
 
 castle. Julius II. heard the noise of the pursuit, 
 and leaping out of his litter without assistance, 
 helped to raise the bridge with his own hands. 
 He acted like a man of spirit. Had he delayed 
 a moment he would have been captured. 
 
 If any one was ever vexed it was Bayard then ! 
 He knew the castle was barely fortified, and he 
 could have taken it in a quarter of an hour ; but 
 he had no artillery, besides he might be sur- 
 prised by the troops besieging Mirandola. He 
 was forced, therefore, to return, having taken 
 as many prisoners as he wanted, including two 
 Bishops, and several baggage-mules ; but he 
 was very sad at his failure to capture the Pope. 
 This latter sent to his nephew, who came with 
 four hundred men and escorted him to the siege 
 of Mirandola. 
 
 The place was taken after three weeks, and 
 again the Pope was befriended by the snow; it 
 fell continuously for six days and six nights, and 
 it covered the camp to the height of a man. 
 After the snow it froze so hard that the ice in 
 the ditches of Mirandola was two feet thick, and 
 a cannon which with its carriage fell on it from 
 above did not break it. Terms were at last 
 arranged by the Duke d'Urbino, who, having 
 been brought up at the court of Louis XII., was 
 French at heart. The Pope would not enter 
 the town by one of the gates ; he caused a bridge 
 
106 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 to be thrown over the moat, and made his entry 
 through one of the breaches. 
 
 The next place to be attacked by the Papal 
 troops was a fortress called Bastida, about 
 twenty miles from Ferrara. The Governor of 
 Bastida had but few men with him, and was 
 alarmed at the advent of the enemy and sent 
 to the Duke of Ferrara. Bayard met the 
 messenger and took him to the Duke. When 
 he read the letter he turned pale, and said, 
 shrugging his shoulders — 
 
 *' If I lose Bastida I am lost ; but I cannot 
 rescue the place in time, for help must arrive 
 to-morrow morning. Now, Bastida is a good 
 twenty-five miles march, and for half a mile the 
 men must go in single file. The enemy with twenty 
 men could bar the passage of ten thousand." 
 
 " My lord," said Bayard, ^' if it were a small 
 matter one might hesitate, but if it is a question 
 of ruin one ought to hazard everything. If 
 fortune is not too much against us, I think we 
 may manage it. Take two thousand infantry, 
 and Captain Jacob's body of Swiss, send them 
 by boat on the river, they will wait for us by 
 the pass you mention. The men-at-arms will 
 march on foot all night to join them ; we shall 
 give battle to the assailants before they are 
 prepared to expect us, and my heart tells me 
 we shall conquer them." 
 
BAYARD AND POPE JULIUS 107 
 
 This counsel was approved by the Duke and 
 his captains. They secretly prepared the boats, 
 in which the foot-soldiers embarked with skilled 
 and trusty boatmen. The men-at-arms, with the 
 Duke in person, joined them, and Bayard 
 organized the attack so as to surprise the enemy 
 on every side. The Papal troops fought for a 
 good hour, but none the less they lost their 
 camp and there was a general stampede, and 
 very many men were killed, while their 
 opponents found it somev/hat difficult to carry 
 off all the booty that fell to them. 
 
 The Pope was at Mirandola when he heard 
 the news about Bastida, and he was in despair 
 of getting Ferrara. So he bethought him of 
 another plan. He sent one of his spies, named 
 Guerlo, to the Duke of Ferrara, and proposed 
 to get rid of the French, and to make an alliance 
 with him. If the Duke agreed, he would give 
 one of his nieces in marriage to his eldest son, 
 whom he would make gonfalonier (Holy 
 standard-bearer) and Captain-General of the 
 Church. The Duke apparently accepted these 
 propositions, but he would really have rather 
 died a thousand deaths than betray the French 
 to be cut down at the pass, which was the price 
 of this alliance. 
 
 He sought Bayard and told him all about 
 it, adding that he would rather be lashed to 
 
108 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 four horses than think for a moment on such 
 treachery. Bayard assured him he and his com- 
 panions felt as safe as if they were in Paris, 
 and the Duke suggested that he should try and 
 gain over the spy to their side. He found the 
 wretch only too willing, provided he were '^ well 
 treated." He was near the Pope, he said, night 
 and day, he brought him some light meal daily, 
 and before a week was over he should be no 
 longer living. Two thousand ducats sealed the 
 bargain. 
 
 Then the Duke returned to Bayard, whom 
 he found cleaning a cannon, and told him what 
 had happened. When he heard the Pope would 
 be no longer living in a week, he exclaimed — 
 
 "How so? Have you had a Divine vision 
 my lord ? " 
 
 "Never you mind. It will be so;" but he 
 ended by saying that Guerlo had promised to 
 poison the Pope. 
 
 Then Bayard crossed himself more than ten 
 times, and said — 
 
 "My Lord, I could never have thought a 
 prince like you could have consented to such 
 treachery. If so, immediately, before nightfall, 
 I would inform the Pope. God would never 
 pardon such a crime." 
 
 "He would have done the same to you 
 or me." 
 
BAYARD AND POPE JULIUS 109 
 
 "That matters not to me. He is God's 
 Lieutenant upon earth, and I will never consent 
 to his dying so." 
 
 The Duke shrugged his shoulders and swore 
 that he wished all his enemies to die so, but 
 since Bayard objected the matter must drop, 
 although they would all repent it. 
 
 Then Bayard asked that the traitor might be 
 given over to him that he might be hanged 
 within an hour, but the Duke was faithful to 
 his promise and sent the man away unharmed. 
 Whether he told anything to the Pope, history 
 does not say. 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 THE ASTKOLOGER 
 
 /CONSIDERING that our most noted English 
 ^ astrologer and prophet^ Lilly, flourished a 
 hundred and fifty years later than the times we 
 are speaking of, we need not be surprised to 
 find an astrologer mentioned in the history of 
 Bayard, though his was not the life that the 
 prophet too truly predicted would be cut short. 
 
 The Emperor again asked for help from the 
 King of France, the object now being to take the 
 Tyrol from the Venetians, and La Palice, with 
 several captains, including Bayard, was sent to 
 him. But La Palice was very unfortunate 
 through the ill-will of the German troops, and 
 he lost a great number of men through disease. 
 On the other hand, Mirandola was re-taken 
 under Trivulzio, who himself said that, after 
 God's help, the victory was due in great measure 
 to the Lord of Bayard. Just at this time, the 
 Lieutenant-General of the King of France died, 
 and was succeeded by Gaston de Foix, the noble 
 
 no 
 
THE ASTROLOGER 111 
 
 Duke of Nemours, who, young as he was (about 
 twenty-two), was well qualified for the high 
 command. Towards the end of 151 1 he marched 
 against the Swiss, but he had not enough troops 
 with him. Nevertheless he advanced to the 
 very gates of Milan, but there provisions failed, 
 and he was forced to come to an arrangement 
 and retire. 
 
 After this, the Duke of Nemours, having 
 learnt that the Spanish army was approaching 
 Bologna, stopped at the small town of Carpi, 
 and remained there two days, with those of his 
 Captains whom he most trusted. Bayard amongst 
 the number. He was very well received by the 
 governor, who was a man of great knowledge, 
 well versed in Greek and Latin literature. This 
 governor entertained the Duke and his Captains 
 at supper on the evening of their arrival. 
 During supper the conversation turned on a 
 certain astrologer, who was also a prophet, and 
 whose numerous predictions had so often come 
 true, that even the most incredulous were set 
 thinking. 
 
 When the Duke heard of this celebrity, being 
 fond of novelty, as are most young people, he 
 longed to see him, and begged that he might be 
 sent for. The astrologer, a spare man of middle 
 height, who might be about sixty years old, was 
 not long in making his appearance., The Duke 
 
lis THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 of Nemours extended his hand, and asked him in 
 Italian how he was. The astrologer courteously 
 replied; and many questions were asked him ; 
 amongst others he was asked by the Duke 
 whether the viceroy of Naples and the Spanish 
 army expected a battle? He replied that they 
 did, that it would take place either on Good 
 Friday or on Easter Day, and that it would be 
 attended with much loss. Again he was asked 
 who would win the day, and he answered in 
 these words — 
 
 '' The field will remain in the possession of 
 the French, the Spaniards will sustain heavier 
 losses than they have for a hundred years ; but 
 the French will gain but little, for they will lose 
 so many men of worth and honour." 
 
 The Lord de la Palice asked if he would fall 
 in this battle. The astrologer told him, ''No," 
 adding that he would live another twelve years 
 or more, but that he would perish in battle. He 
 gave a similar answer to the Lord of Imbercourt, 
 and another he warned that he would be in 
 danger of lightning. There was scarcely one 
 present who did not ask him of his destiny. 
 Bayard was standing by and laughing, and the 
 Duke said to him — 
 
 " My Lord of Bayard, I pray you, my friend, 
 ask our master here what will happen to you." 
 
 " I ought not to ask it," he replied, " for I am 
 
YOU WIL*. HE RICH IN HONOUR AND VIRTUE, ABOVE ALL THE CAPTAINS OF FRANCE 
 BUT YOU WILL DIE IN WAR WITHIN TWELVE YEARS AT THE LATEST " 
 
THE ASTROLOGER 113 
 
 convinced it will be nothing great, but since you 
 desire it, I will do so." 
 
 Then turning to the astrologer he said, " Tell 
 me, good master, shall I one day be a great and 
 wealthy lord ? " 
 
 "You will be rich in honour and in virtue, 
 above all the Captains of France; but seek not 
 worldly goods. They are not for you. I warn 
 you, that you will serve another King of France 
 after him who now reigns, and he will love you 
 and esteem you highly ; but the envy of others 
 will stand in your way, and he will not confer on 
 you the honours which you will merit; and I 
 think that the fault will not rest with him." 
 
 '' And this battle which is to be so disastrous, 
 shall I survive it ? " 
 
 '^ Yes ; but you will die in war within twelve 
 years at the latest, and you will be killed by 
 artillery. Otherwise you would never be slain, 
 for you are too beloved by those under your 
 orders to be left in danger." 
 
 Every one was much interested or enter- 
 tained, as the case might be, at the astrologer's 
 predictions. On his side he observed that 
 among all the Captains, the Duke of Nemours 
 specially favoured de la Palice and Bayard, and 
 he took them both apart and said to them 
 privately — 
 
 " My lords, I perceive that you love the noble 
 
114 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 Prince, your commander. He merits a different 
 fate, for his face shows the nobility of his nature. 
 Take care of him on the day of battle ; he will be 
 in danger of falling. If he escape, he will be one 
 of France's greatest men, but it will be very 
 difficult for him to do so. Take care of him ; no 
 man will be in greater peril of death than he will 
 be that day." 
 
 Alas ! woe betide the hour when the prophet 
 spoke so truly ! 
 
 After Milan, Brescia was the most important 
 place the French had in Italy, and this revolted 
 and was re-taken by the Venetians before the 
 Duke of Nemours could come to the rescue of 
 the French Governor there, who still held the 
 castle. To make matters worse, large reinforce- 
 ments were on their way to help the Venetians. 
 But the Duke marched so quickly to the rescue, 
 that one knight on a valuable horse could not 
 have accomplished the distance more rapidly 
 than did his whole army. Fortunately, too, for 
 the French, the commander of the reinforcements 
 stopped to take a small castle which belonged to 
 the King of France, and the Duke was not slow 
 to take advantage of this, urging his forces on to 
 do thirty miles in one day, and that in the heart 
 of winter. He was rewarded by arriving at the 
 scene of action before the reinforcements. 
 
 When the French and the Venetians 
 
THE ASTROLOGER 115 
 
 encountered each other, Bayard was indeed 
 there, but he had suffered from fever all the 
 previous night, and though he was on horseback, 
 he was not armed, but merely in a black velvet 
 robe. When, however, he saw that there was to 
 be some fighting, he borrowed a corselet from a 
 common soldier, put it over his robe, mounted a 
 good horse, and rode towards the enemy with 
 the advanced guard. After some hard fighting 
 the reinforcement were driven back, being com- 
 pletely defeated. Had they succeeded in reach- 
 ing Brescia, it would never have been taken. 
 The next day the Duke of Nemours was at the 
 foot of the castle which had remained French, and 
 was able to pass in provisions to its defenders. 
 He assembled his Captains and decided to give 
 the assault the following day, but wishing to 
 avoid bloodshed he sent a herald inviting the 
 besieged to surrender, but they would not. 
 
 '' March on, then," said the Duke, ^' in the name 
 of God and Saint Denis." 
 
 It was not an easy place to take, for the 
 artillery within the city poured down upon the 
 assailants ; moreover, it had rained a little, which 
 made the steep incline up to the castle slippery. 
 The Duke took off his shoes, not wishing to 
 be delayed, and many others followed the 
 example. 
 
 Bayard and others were furiously attacking 
 
116 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 the rampart, which was wonderfully well 
 defended, and the cries of '' France ! France ! 
 Bayard ! Bayard ! " were heard on all sides and 
 replied to by the enemy by '' Marco ! Marco ! " 
 Bayard was indeed the first to cross the rampart, 
 a thousand men following, and the first fort was 
 taken ; but our hero was wounded by a thrust 
 from a pike, in the thigh. He thought he was 
 mortally wounded, and urged his second in com- 
 mand on, for the city was practically taken. He 
 was, however, carried out of the battle by two 
 of his archers, who bound up the wound as 
 well as they could, tearing their shirts for 
 bandages. When the news was brought to the 
 Duke, he could not have felt more grieved if 
 he himself had received the wound, and he 
 cried out — 
 
 ^'Gentlemen, shall we not avenge the death 
 of the most accomplished knight in the world ? 
 Let each do his utmost ! " 
 
 Brescia was re-conquered, and many of the 
 Venetians lay in the '' grande place " in a sleep 
 from which they would not awaken. Others 
 fled and were cut down. The ringleader of the 
 revolt was taken prisoner. After the capture of 
 the city there was terrible pillage — many sad 
 scenes — and much spoil for the victors. Nothing, 
 however, is more certain than that the taking of 
 Brescia was the ruin of the French in Italy, for 
 
THE ASTROLOGER 117 
 
 the soldiers gained so much by pillage, that they 
 tired of warfare. They had, however, enough 
 martial spirit left for the battle of Ravenna a 
 little later in the year — that battle predicted by 
 the astrologer. 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 THE LADIES OF BRESCIA 
 
 TO return to the wounded Bayard. When the 
 archers who remained with him saw that 
 the citadel was taken, they unhinged the door of 
 the first house they came to, and laying Bayard 
 on it as gently as they could, they took him into 
 a handsome house near the environs of the city. 
 It belonged to a rich gentleman, who himself had 
 fled to a monastery, while his wife with two 
 pretty daughters remained in the house, or 
 rather in the loft where they concealed them- 
 selves under some hay. When they heard a 
 knocking, the lady, resigning herself to the mercy 
 of God, went to open the door. She saw Bayard 
 being brought in; but wounded as he was, he 
 ordered two archers to guard the entrance, say- 
 ing to them — 
 
 '' Keep guard that no one enters unless it is our 
 own men. I am sure, when it is known I am here, 
 no one will enter by force. If I cause you to lose 
 some gain b}^ staying here, I will make it up to 
 
 ii8 
 
THE LADIES OF BRESCIA 119 
 
 you." Thus showing what a recognized thing 
 pillage was in those days. 
 
 The archers obeyed him, and he was carried 
 into a handsome room pointed out by the lady of 
 the housC; who throwing herself on her knees, 
 said — 
 
 '' Noble Lord, I present to you this house; it 
 is yours by right of war ; but I beg of you to 
 save me and my two daughters from insult and 
 injury." 
 
 Bayard, who had naught but good intentions, 
 replied— 
 
 '' Madam, I know not if I shall recover from 
 my wound, but as long as I live no harm will be 
 done to you and your daughters any more than 
 to myself Only keep them in their rooms, so 
 they are not seen, no one will intrude where you 
 do not desire it. I assure you that you have 
 before you a gentleman who will not plunder 
 you, but will show you all the courtesy he can." 
 
 The lady was much reassured, and Bayard 
 begged her to send for a surgeon who might 
 dress his wound at once, and she went herself to 
 seek him with one of the archers. When the 
 surgeon came he pronounced the wound a deep 
 one, but not mortal, and as soon as it was dressed 
 Bayard inquired of his hostess where her 
 husband was. The poor lady replied with 
 tears — 
 
120 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 ''On my honour, my Lord, I do not know if 
 he is dead or alive. I think he must be in some 
 monastery." 
 
 '' Have him sought for, lady, and I will send 
 to fetch him so he comes to no harm." 
 
 And after inquiry had been made Bayard's 
 stewards and two archers conducted him back. 
 (We should imagine he felt very much ashamed 
 of himself!) 
 
 The Duke of Nemours remained seven or 
 eight days in Brescia; reassuring the inhabitants, 
 causing the dead to be buried, and punishing 
 those who had aided in the revolt. He went at 
 least once a day to see Bayard, and to cheer him 
 up with such words as — 
 
 ''Ah, my Lord of Bayard, think only of 
 getting well ; in a month's time we must give 
 battle to the Spaniards, and I would rather lose 
 everything than that you should not be there." 
 
 " I will be carried in a litter rather than not 
 be there," was the response. 
 
 The Duke sent him one day five hundred 
 crowns, which he divided between the two 
 archers who had stayed with him. 
 
 The King of France was very pleased at the 
 victory of Brescia, but he was anxious for his 
 nephew to end the war and give the Spaniards 
 a decisive battle. Warfare is costly, and Louis 
 did not wish to burden his people. Besides he 
 
THE LADIES OF BRESCIA 121 
 
 knew that the King of England (the young Henry 
 VIII.);was concocting some plot with a view to 
 making a descent upon France; and the Swiss 
 were doing likewise, so the troops in Italy might 
 be needed. The Duke of Nemours went there- 
 fore to meet the Spanish army, but for some 
 little time there were only skirmishes, and no 
 decisive battle, which must have been a great 
 consolation to Bayard. 
 
 In bed for a month or more, with fresh news 
 of the camp and of an impending battle reaching 
 him every day, he grew sadly weary of this in- 
 action. One day he insisted on getting up and 
 walking about the room to see if he could hold 
 himself up. He found he was weak, but his high 
 courage prevented his giving away, and he sent 
 for the surgeon, and said— 
 
 '' Tell me, my friend, if there is any danger in 
 setting off; it seems to me I am nearly healed, 
 and I am of opinion that to stay here will do me 
 no good, it wearies me so." 
 
 The surgeon, knowing the temperament of his 
 patient, and being aware of his great wish to join 
 the army, after giving him many injunctions, and 
 instructing his barber how to treat him, gave 
 the much wished-for permission. Bayard was 
 delighted and thanked the surgeon, and resolved 
 to depart in two days' time. 
 
 The lady of the house looked upon herself 
 
1^2 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 and her husband and children as his prisoners, 
 and she calculated that if he treated them as 
 other such households had been treated by the 
 French; they would have to pay him a large sum. 
 She therefore thought she would take the initia- 
 tive, and make him a handsome offering, hoping 
 that he would be content with it, as she had 
 always found him such an honest and noble man. 
 The morning when Bayard was to leave the 
 house after dinner, she entered his room, 
 followed by one of the servants carrying a 
 small steel casket. She found Bayard resting on 
 a chair, having walked about continually to try 
 his leg, but he rose when she entered, and would 
 not suffer her to say a word till she was seated 
 beside him. Then after many compliments she 
 said — 
 
 " Since you have been here, neither I nor the 
 lowest of my people have sustained any injury ; 
 your men have been very courteous, and have 
 not taken a farthing's worth without paying for 
 it. I do not forget that I and my daughters and 
 my husband and all the household are your 
 prisoners, and our goods belong to you. But 
 knowing the nobleness of your heart which none 
 can imitate, I am come to beg you to continue 
 your generosity still further. Here is a small 
 present I have brought, will you do us the 
 honour to accept it ? " 
 
THE LADIES OF BRESCIA 123 
 
 She took the casket which the servant held 
 and opened it before Bayard, who saw it was 
 well filled with ducats. He, who had never in 
 his life taken any account of money, began to 
 laugh, and said — 
 
 '' Madam, how many ducats are there in this 
 casket ? " 
 
 The poor woman thought he was vexed to 
 see so few, and answered — 
 
 '' My Lord, there are only two thousand five 
 hundred ducats ; but if you are not content, we 
 will find more." 
 
 '' By my faith, madam, if you were to give me 
 a hundred thousand crowns you could not give 
 me more pleasure than I have had from the kind 
 welcome given to me in this house. I assure you 
 that wherever I may be, as long as God allows 
 me life, you will have a gentleman at your orders. 
 As to your ducats, I will not have them, though 
 I thank you. Take them back. All my life I 
 have loved men rather than crowns, and I am as 
 pleased as if this city had been yours and you 
 had given it to me." 
 
 The good lady was astonished at being thus 
 denied, and would have knelt again, but Bayard 
 would not listen till he had raised her, then she 
 said — 
 
 " My Lord, I am the most miserable woman 
 if you refuse this slender present, which is 
 
lU THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 nothing in comparison with the courtesy you 
 have shown us, and which you still will show us." 
 
 When Bayard saw how resolved she was, he 
 said — 
 
 '^ So be it; madam ; I will take it for love of 
 you ; but go and seek your two daughters that I 
 may bid them farewell." 
 
 The poor lady, who was overjoyed now her 
 present had been at last accepted, fetched her 
 daughters, who were very beautiful, good, and 
 well instructed, and who, during Bayard's illness, 
 had amused him by their singing, and playing on 
 the lute and spinet. They were also very clever 
 needlewomen, and it may have amused him to 
 watch them. While their mother went to fetch 
 them. Bayard put the ducats in three heaps, two 
 of one thousand, and one of five hundred. When 
 the girls entered they knelt, and being raised by 
 Bayard, the eldest spoke thus — 
 
 ^' My Lord, the two poor girls, whom you 
 have honoured by protecting against all injury, 
 come to take leave of you, and thank your lord- 
 ship very humbly for the favour you have shown 
 them, and they will always pray to God for 
 you." 
 
 Bayard, with tears in his eyes at seeing so 
 much sweetness and humility combined with so 
 much beauty, replied — 
 
 " Ladies, you are doing what I ought to do. 
 
THE LADIES OF BRESCIA 125 
 
 that is, to thank you for the good company you 
 have been to me, for which I am very grateful. 
 You know men of war are not usually furnished 
 with pretty things to offer ladies. I am grieved 
 to-day not to be able to present you with any- 
 thing suitable. Your lady-mother has given me 
 two thousand five hundred ducats, which you see 
 on this table, I give a thousand to each of you, 
 to help you to marry ; and by way of thanking 
 me I beg you to pray to God for me." 
 
 He then placed the ducats in their aprons, 
 whether they would or not, and then addressed 
 his hostess — 
 
 '' Madam, I will take these five hundred ducats 
 for myself, to distribute to the poor convents of 
 ladies who have been plundered. I give you 
 the charge of them, for you understand it better 
 than I do. And now I take my leave of you." 
 
 He took them all three by the hand, the ladies 
 kneeling after the fashion of Italy, and weeping 
 as bitterly as if they were going to death. A few 
 more farewell words, and they withdrew. 
 
 Bayard then took leave of the master of the 
 house, whom he invited to dine with him. Then 
 he called for his horses, being all the time in 
 great fear that the battle would begin without 
 him. As he left his room to mount and start, 
 the girls came down and gave him each a present 
 which they had worked during his illness. One 
 
126 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 gave him two pretty and daintily worked brace- 
 lets (or armlets) in fine gold and silver thread ; 
 and the other a purse upon crimson satin 
 cleverly embroidered. He thanked them both, 
 saying that the present from such hands was 
 worth ten thousand crowns, and he put the 
 bracelets on his arms, and the purse in his 
 sleeve, and assured them that he would wear 
 them as long as they lasted for love of them. 
 Then he mounted his horse. 
 
 When he rejoined the army near Ravenna, 
 he was received with great joy by the Duke of 
 Nemours and the other captains; and the men- 
 at-arms and the common soldiers made such a 
 noise that it seemed as if Bayard had reinforced 
 the army by ten thousand men. 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 RAVENNA 
 
 IT THEN the gallant Duke of Nemours was 
 ^ ^ before Ravenna, he called his captains to 
 a council of war. The French were beginning to 
 want provisions ; and besides that, the Emperor 
 had written a letter to one of his captains, Jacob 
 Emser, to order him to withdraw his lansquenets. 
 Fortunately this captain was French at heart, and 
 very much attached to the Duke and to Bayard, 
 to the latter of whom he showed the letter, 
 before any one else saw it. Bayard urged him 
 to keep it secret till after the battle, but it was 
 necessary that that should soon take place, 
 partly from lack of provisions, and partly before 
 a second letter from the Emperor should come. 
 
 In the council of war many of the captains 
 represented to the Duke the great danger that 
 would be incurred by an immediate battle, but 
 Bayard, knowing of the impending withdrawal 
 of the German troops, urged that it should take 
 
 place as soon as possible. 
 
 127 
 
128 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 " The more you delay/' said he, ^' the worse 
 prepared for it we shall be, for our men have no 
 provisions, and our horses are eating willow 
 shoots. Our master the King writes to you to 
 give battle for the safety of his Duchy of Milan, 
 and of France. So I advise that we fight at once, 
 but with prudence, for we have to deal with a 
 crafty and courageous foe. It will be dangerous 
 (that is certain), but one thing comforts me — the 
 Spaniards have been a year in this country, and, 
 fed like a fish in the water, are fat and heavy, 
 while our men have been and are, in want of 
 food. So they will have longer breath than our 
 enemies. He who shall fight the longest will 
 win the field." 
 
 This caused a laugh, for Bayard knew how 
 to choose his words, and he got his way. The 
 Duke made his soldiers rest before the conflict 
 which might take place any hour, the enemy 
 being about two miles distant. He asked Bayard 
 to skirmish in such a manner that his presence 
 might be known by them, as the Spanish 
 prisoners always inquired if he were in the 
 camp, so much was he thought of 
 
 Once again the Duke assembled his captains, 
 and said to them — 
 
 '' My Lords, you know how we lack pro- 
 visions ; this large city of Ravenna beards us on 
 one side, the enemy are a cannon-shot from us. 
 
RAVENNA 129 
 
 and the Venetians and the Swiss threaten to 
 descend on Milan, where we have but few men 
 left ; moreover, the King, my uncle, urges me 
 each day to engage in battle. Therefore, for all 
 these reasons, for our own interest and that of 
 our master, it seems to me we have no time to 
 lose, and we must seek our foes. If fortune is 
 on our side, we will thank God— if not, let His 
 will be done." 
 
 The Lord de la Palice, Captain Louis d'Ars, 
 and others were of this opinion, and it was 
 agreed to march on the enemy the next day, 
 which was Easter Day. Bayard asked for a 
 plan of the attack to be made, so that each 
 might know what he had to do. A bridge of 
 boats was built over a little canal that ran 
 between the two armies, over which the artillery 
 and the foot-soldiers could pass. As to the 
 horsemen, they could easily ford it. The next 
 morning the lansquenets began to pass over 
 first, and one French captain called out to his 
 men : " What, shall the lansquenets get to the 
 enemy before we do ? I would rather have lost 
 an eye ! " and he began, all booted and clothed 
 as he was, to wade through the water followed 
 by his men, and they made such good speed that 
 they were on the other side sooner than the 
 Germans. 
 
 While the troops passed, the Duke de 
 
 K 
 
130 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 Nemours left his quarters in good time, fully 
 armed except his helmet. On going out he 
 looked at the sun lately risen, and said to those 
 around him — 
 
 '' Look, gentlemen, how red the sun is." 
 
 There was present there a gentleman whom 
 he was very fond of and who replied — 
 
 '^ Do you know what that signifies, my Lord ? 
 It means that some great prince or captain will 
 die to-day. It must be either you or the viceroy 
 of Naples." 
 
 The Duke laughed, and went on to see his 
 army pass. While he was waiting he walked 
 along the canal with Bayard, and they saw on 
 the other side a troop of Spaniards, with whom 
 they entered into conversation. Their captain, 
 who was Pedro de Paz (the very short hump- 
 backed man) learnt that he was speaking to 
 Captain Bayard who had gained such glory in 
 the kingdom of Naples, and he said — 
 
 '' By my faith, my Lord of Bayard, though I 
 know we have gained nothing by your arrival, 
 and I hold your camp reinforced by two thousand 
 men, I am glad to see you. Would God there 
 might be an honourable peace between your 
 master and mine, that we might hold converse 
 together ; for I have loved you all my life on 
 account of your great prowess." 
 
 Bayard courteously more than returned his 
 
RAVENNA 131 
 
 compliments. The Spanish captain then asked 
 who he had with him, to whom so much deference 
 was paid. On learning that it was the Duke of 
 Nemours, he and his men alighted and humbly 
 saluted him. The Duke asked him then if, to 
 save bloodshed, the viceroy would not consent 
 to settle all differences by a single-handed 
 combat with himself. This was declined, and 
 each returned to his own business. 
 
 The Spanish camp was well placed, and 
 protected by a large trench, behind which their 
 infantry could lie flat down, sheltered from the 
 French artillery. When once the river was 
 passed, the Duke marched his men forward. 
 The Spaniards shot many of them down, but 
 they still pressed on, and great loss was inflicted 
 on the enemy by two pieces of artillery which 
 Bayard had brought to the edge of the stream. 
 
 The Duke was much pleased to be in the 
 first engagement, in which his men lowered their 
 visors and fearlessly marched on their foes, who 
 now craftily divided so as to surround them. 
 Bayard perceived this ruse, and warned the 
 Duke— 
 
 " My Lord, let us divide into two parties till 
 we have passed the trench, for they are trying 
 to surround us." 
 
 The Spaniards attacked, crying, " Spain ! 
 Spain ! Sant' Yago ! " and made a furious charge, 
 
132 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 but were received with equal fury by the French 
 who cried, '^ France ! France ! Aux chevaux ! 
 Aux chevaux ! " For the Spaniards always tried 
 to kill the horses, according to their proverb, ''If 
 the steed be slain, the knight is lost." The fight 
 lasted half an hour, then there was a brief pause 
 while the troops, face to face with each other, 
 took breath, and again the conflict raged with 
 even greater impetuosity than before. The 
 Spaniards were more numerous than the French, 
 till the Duke of Ferrara and others came to 
 assist the Duke of Nemours. On the arrival of 
 this fresh band the fury of the combat knew no 
 bounds. At last the Spaniards were forced to 
 abandon the field, where, between two trenches, 
 there perished many men-at-arms, and several 
 Neapolitan princes, whose lives were spared, 
 were taken prisoners. All were anxious to 
 begin the pursuit, and Bayard having ascer- 
 tained that the Duke of Nemours was not 
 wounded, said to him — 
 
 ''God be praised! You have gained the 
 battle and covered yourself with glory ; but do 
 not advance further, and call your men-at-arms 
 together. Let no one pillage yet, for it is not 
 the time. Captain Louis d'Ars and I will go 
 after the fugitives, that they do not retreat 
 behind their infantry. Do not go from here till 
 we come and fetch you." 
 
RAVENNA 133 
 
 The Duke promised, but he did not keep his 
 promise, and evil befell him. We have said that 
 the Spanish foot-soldiers v^ere lying on the 
 ground in a sheltered position. They were 
 forced to rise by a body of Gascons, and when 
 they were brought into the field they worked 
 havoc there among the French, and some of the 
 fugitives passed by the victorious Duke of 
 Nemours He, thinking they were his infantry, 
 grew desperate, and without looking who 
 followed him, rushed to a causeway with about 
 fifteen men-at-arms, the enemy guarding it with 
 pikes. Here they could not well be avoided as 
 the causeway was narrow, and on one side was 
 the canal, and on the other a deep ditch which 
 could not be passed. All those with the Duke 
 were thrown into the water or fell into the ditch, 
 and the Duke's own horse was disabled. Where- 
 upon he sprang to his feet, sword in hand, and 
 never did Roland of Roncesvalles distinguish 
 himself more. In vain his followers called out, 
 '^ It is our viceroy, the brother of our Queen." 
 He fell covered with wounds, fourteen or fifteen 
 on his face — good proof that the courageous 
 Prince never turned his back. 
 
 So died Gaston de Foix, Duke de Nemours, 
 still very young, but distinguished by a most 
 promising and most brilliant career, not unlike 
 altogether Napoleon's early military life. He was 
 
134 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 known as '^the thunderbolt of Italy." His fault 
 was a recklessness of human life, but this was 
 a fault perhaps more of the age than of the man, 
 and the name of Gaston de Foix has been 
 handed down as one of the brightest ornaments 
 of French chivalry. So ended that cruel battle, 
 sustained with the utmost fury on either side — 
 a battle that marred the peace of Easter Sunday, 
 April nth, 1512. 
 
 When Bayard and the rest of the French 
 returned to their camp it was four o'clock, the 
 battle having begun about eight in the morning. 
 The victory of Ravenna was, however, more 
 fatal to the French than to their enemies ; for 
 on account of the death of their young hero, 
 Gaston de Foix, the soldiers became dis- 
 heartened, and the officers were divided and 
 lost interest in the war. It was a victory 
 certainly for the French — but too dearly 
 bought. 
 
 The next day Ravenna was pillaged by the 
 common soldiers and the lansquenets. It was 
 intended to advance farther if the Duke had 
 lived, but the Venetians and the Swiss threatened 
 Milan. So it was necessary to return there. 
 The Duke was buried in the Cathedral at Milan 
 with great military pomp, and in the presence 
 of an immense number of mourners. Forty 
 ensigns taken from the enemy were trailed on 
 
RAVENNA 135 
 
 the ground before the bier, while the Duke's 
 own ensigns and banners were held upright 
 and floated on the breeze, as if to show that they 
 had humbled the others in the dust. 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 HENRY VIII. 
 
 ^1 T'E must now pass on to the next year, 
 
 ^ ^ except for one incident which took place 
 
 at the close of this war in Italy, just before the 
 
 French troops were disbanded. 
 
 Bayard, while guarding a bridge of boats 
 
 at Pavia, received a bad wound from a falconet 
 
 or small cannon, which tore the flesh between 
 
 the neck and the shoulder. He was thought to 
 
 be killed, but he declared the wound was 
 
 nothing, painful as it must have been with its 
 
 rude dressing of moss taken from the trees. 
 
 Just after this, the French army, or the 
 
 greater part of it, re-crossed the mountains to 
 
 return to France, and Bayard went to Grenoble 
 
 to visit his uncle, the good Bishop, who had 
 
 given him such a good start in his career, and 
 
 whom he had not seen for a long time. He was 
 
 one of the best of prelates, and he welcomed his 
 
 nephew with delight, and lodged him at the 
 
 episcopal palace where he was treated ^' as a 
 
 136 
 
HENRY VIII. 137 
 
 jewel in gold." The ladies came from all the 
 parts around to see him, and did not spare his 
 praises, much to his confusion. During the 
 time he was there, he was taken with a fever, 
 partly from his wound and partly from the 
 effects of the terrible fatigues he had under- 
 gone, and for seventeen days his life was 
 despaired of He, poor man, bewailed himself 
 most piteously in his delirium, mingling with 
 his lamentations many regrets that he was 
 spared at Brescia, and not allowed to fall 
 with the Duke of Nemours on the field of 
 Ravenna, but was to die in his bed "like a 
 maid." There was heard also a note of religion 
 and resignation to God's will, not without many 
 a prayer for the pardon of his sins. Tortured 
 by the burning fever, he addressed Saint 
 Anthony, appealing to him to release him by 
 death, and reminding him, as it were, of how he 
 had saved one of the houses dedicated to him, 
 occupying it himself to protect it. His delirious 
 complaints were so heart-rending that all around 
 him wept. His uncle, the Bishop, spent his 
 days in prayer for his nephew, and not only he, 
 but all the nobles, merchants, citizens, and the 
 religious orders both of men and women united 
 in supplications for the good Chevalier. The 
 fever gradually abating, he began to be able to 
 sleep and to eat, and after three weeks of carefu 1 
 
138 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 nursing, he recovered and was as well as he had 
 ever been. Then he began to walk out near the 
 town, to visit his friends, and to be entertained. 
 
 He stayed some time longer in Dauphiny, and 
 then crossed the Pyrenees to join the Lord de la 
 Palice. The King of Arragon wished to deprive 
 the King of Navarre of his kingdom, and the 
 French troops, or some of them, now returned 
 from Italy, were besieging Pampeluna. But 
 before attacking it, it was necessary to take a 
 small castle in the neighbourhood. This task 
 fell to Bayard's lot, and he thus accomplished 
 it — he caused it to be scaled by ladders, and 
 surprised the enemy by appearing in the very 
 place he intended to take and hold. But Pam- 
 peluna could not be taken, and the French force 
 being decimated by hunger, was forced to re- 
 cross the Pyrenees, and abandon their artillery. 
 Bayard, ever the foremost to go forward and 
 the last to go back, was compelled to put up 
 with the retreat as best he could. That same 
 year saw the death of the warlike Pope, Julius 
 II., and his place taken by the Cardinal de 
 Medicis, under the name of Leo X. 
 
 In the year 15 13 the King of France learnt 
 that the King of England, Henry VIII., had 
 allied himself to the Emperor Maximilian, and 
 landed at Calais with a large army. The English 
 
HENRY VIII. 139 
 
 besieged the fortress of Therouanne, but Henry 
 did not arrive till some days afterwards, and was 
 very nearly taken prisoner at a village between 
 Calais and Therouanne. The French, who 
 almost captured him, were a body of cavalry. 
 Indeed they had no infantry, while the King of 
 England had large bodies of infantry but no 
 horsemen. These advanced to within a cannon- 
 shot of each other, and Bayard over and over 
 again urged an attack, saying to the governor 
 of Picardy, that they would win the day on 
 account of their horses ; but the governor 
 answered that he had the King's orders only to 
 act on the defensive, and not to engage in battle. 
 Thus the matter rested, and the King of England 
 and his band passed by under the noses of the 
 French. Bayard did make a charge on their 
 rear-guard with his company, and captured a 
 piece of artillery called Saint John. The King 
 had eleven other such pieces, and he called them 
 his twelve apostles. 
 
 King Henry was joined at Therouanne by 
 the Emperor Maximilian, and then ensued a 
 battle, known as the battle of Spurs, in which 
 the French were much blamed, but according 
 to the Loyal Serviteur, unjustly ; for their 
 orders were only to re-victual Therouanne, 
 and that if the enemy were found to be too 
 strong they were to retire. However, when 
 
140 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 the order to retreat was given, the French go t 
 from a trot into a gallop, and everything was 
 thrown into disorder, spite of the efforts of La 
 PaHce and others to stop the stampede. Every 
 one rushed to the camp where the artillery and 
 infantry were. 
 
 Bayard with some fifteen men-at-arms en- 
 deavoured to make a stand where a small bridge 
 crossed a mill-stream, but so many troops came 
 up and surrounded them that it was impossible 
 as even Bayard allowed, for he said — 
 
 '' Surrender to these gentlemen, for our 
 prowess will not help us. Our horses are 
 spent, we are one to their ten, and if we wait, 
 the English archers will cut us to pieces." 
 
 As he spoke the Burgundians came up and 
 charged them, and they surrendered, and each 
 man tried to get a prisoner. While this was going 
 on. Bayard perceived a young man quietly rest- 
 ing under some small trees, with his helmet laid 
 aside, and too exhausted by the heat to trouble 
 himself about prisoners. Bayard rode straight 
 up to him, and putting his sword to his throat 
 said, ''Surrender, man-at-arms, or you are a 
 dead man." 
 
 The gentleman was utterly taken aback, for 
 he thought they had all been captured. However, 
 being in fear of death, he replied, " I yield, then, 
 since I am caught in this way. Who are you ? " 
 
HENRY VIII. 141 
 
 *'l am Captain Bayard, who surrenders to 
 you. Here is my sword, I beg of you to take 
 me with you, and if any English attack us on 
 the way, I trust you will return me my sword." 
 
 The gentleman promised, andhekept his word. 
 Bayard was taken to his tent, in the camp of the 
 King of England, and was well treated. On the 
 fifth day of his imprisonment, Bayard said — 
 
 '^ Sir, I should be very glad if you would 
 escort me to the camp of my master the King, 
 for I begin to weary of being here." 
 
 '' How so," said the other, '' since we have 
 not yet spoken of your ransom?" 
 
 *' Of my ransom ! You have not yet spoken 
 of yours, you mean ; for you are my prisoner, 
 and it is only after I had your parole that I 
 surrendered to you, solely to save my life." 
 
 The gentleman was much astonished, and 
 Bayard added — 
 
 " Sir, if you do not keep your word, I am sure 
 that I shall escape, but rest assured that after- 
 wards I shall fight with you." 
 
 The gentleman knew not what to reply. He 
 had heard enough of Captain Bayard not to wish 
 to fight with him, and as he was a courteous 
 knight, he said — 
 
 " My Lord of Bayard, I only wish to do what 
 is reasonable. I will report it to the captains 
 and be guided by them." 
 
142 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 It must be understood that it was impossible 
 to hide the fact that Bayard was in the camp, 
 and, to hear his enemies, one would have thought 
 they had gained a battle. The Emperor sent to 
 seek him, and caused him to be conducted to his 
 quarters, where he gave him a gracious reception, 
 saying— 
 
 ^' Captain Bayard, my friend, I have great 
 pleasure in seeing you. Would to God I had 
 many men like you ! I should not be long before 
 I avenged the tricks which your master has played 
 me in the past. I think in former days we have 
 been at war together, and I believe it used to be 
 said that Bayard never fled." 
 
 ^' Had I done so, sire, I should not be here now." 
 
 Thereupon the King of England entered, 
 not the heavy figure of the Henry VHI. of later 
 days, but the handsomest man in England in 
 the heyday of his youth. He greeted Bayard 
 heartily, and began to speak of the retreat of the 
 French, saying he had never seen men fly so 
 quickly and in such numbers as the French on 
 that day, although only pursued by four or five 
 hundred horsemen. The Emperor also rallied 
 him with good-natured malice. 
 
 ^'On my soul," said Bayard, ^^no reproach 
 can be levelled at the men-at-arms of France, 
 for they were expressly told not to fight. You 
 know, high and puissant Lords, that the nobility 
 
"sire, I DO NOT OWN THAT, AND I WOULD LAY THE MATTER BEFORE THE EMPEROR 
 
 AND YOURSELF "' 
 
HENRY VIII. 143 
 
 of France is renowned throughout the world. I 
 do not say I am of the number." 
 
 ^' Truly, my Lord of Bayard/' said the King, 
 " if all were like you, the siege before this town 
 would soon be raised; still you are my prisoner." 
 
 '' Sire, I do not own that, and I would lay the 
 matter before the Emperor and yourself" 
 
 He then detailed exactly what had happened, 
 and the gentleman did not contradict him, but 
 said, " It is all just as my Lord of Bayard says." 
 
 The Emperor and the King looked at each 
 other, and the Emperor said that in his opinion 
 Bayard was not a prisoner, but that the gentle- 
 man was his. However, after courtesies ex- 
 changed, neither was bound by his parole, and 
 Bayard could go if it pleased the King of 
 England. Henry consented to this, and de- 
 manded his parole not to take arms for six 
 weeks, adding that in the meantime he could 
 go and visit Flanders. 
 
 Bayard thanked the King of England and the 
 Emperor for their kindness, and went into the 
 country till the appointed day. While he was 
 thus debarred from fighting, Henry made 
 advances to him to get him into his own 
 service, but he wasted his time, for Bayard's 
 heart was all French. 
 
 Therouanne was taken, and Tournay after 
 that, and then winter stopped the war. 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 FRANCIS I. 
 
 /^N the first day of the year 15 15, Louis XII. 
 ^^ died. His health had long been failing. 
 His wife, to whom he was much attached, died 
 the year before, and he married a young bride, 
 Mary of England, who caused him to alter his 
 usual hours — which may have accelerated his 
 death. He had been in the habit of dining at 
 eight in the morning, and going to bed at six in 
 the evening. Now, in place of this, he adopted 
 the late fashionable hour of noon for dinner, and 
 would remain up at dances and festivities till 
 midnight. His death was much lamented by his 
 subjects, towards whom he was always kind and 
 just, and with whom he earned the title of ^' The 
 Father of his People." He left no son, and the 
 nearest heir to the throne was his cousin, Francis 
 Count of Angouleme. 
 
 Francis I. was the gayest and most courageous 
 of princes, handsome, liberal, magnificent, frank 
 
 and courteous, brave as a lion, expert in all the 
 
 144 
 
FRANCIS I. 145 
 
 exercises of the tilt-yard, and twenty years old 
 when he became King of France. Truly a 
 veritable King of Romance ! 
 
 Soon after his coronation at St. Denis, and 
 his splendid entry into Paris, he secretly 
 organized an expedition to re-conquer his Duchy 
 of Milan. Bayard was sent in advance, while 
 the French army crossed the Alps with incredible 
 rapidity, by a path not hitherto tried. Prosper 
 Colonna, the Lieutenant-General of the Pope, 
 was at Villafranca, where he thought himself 
 quite safe from the French, unless indeed they 
 had flown over the mountains. So he imagined 
 he only had to deal with Bayard and the few 
 men-at-arms who accompanied him, and he said 
 he would take him like a pigeon in a cage. 
 However, it was he himself who was the pigeon, 
 for he was taken prisoner at Villafranca — an 
 exploit chiefly accomplished by the bravery of 
 Bayard. 
 
 The King of France was delighted at the 
 capture of Prosper Colonna. He advanced his 
 army as quickly as possible and arrived at Turin, 
 where he was well received by his uncle, the 
 Duke of Savoy. The Swiss who guarded the 
 passes, on hearing that Colonna was taken, 
 retired towards Milan, and the whole affair 
 might have been settled by treaty, had not the 
 Cardinal de Sion, an inveterate enemy of France, 
 
146 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 preached so forcibly that the}' left Milan and 
 attacked the French King's camp. The Constable 
 de Bourbon, who led the advanced guard, began 
 the battle, warning the King, who was at supper. 
 Francis rushed away from the table to encounter 
 the enemy, who were already skirmishing with 
 his men. These skirmishes lasted some time 
 before the fight began in earnest. 
 
 The Constable de Bourbon and Ba3^ard were 
 stopped in their attack by nightfall, and in the 
 meantime the young King was in the midst of 
 hard fighting till the opposing parties could no 
 longer distinguish one another. He ran great 
 personal risk, for his casque was pierced through 
 and through by a pike. All that night the 
 French remained on the alert, and Francis 
 took his share in the hardships as the meanest 
 of his soldiers might have done, ready for action, 
 as well they might be; for it was the night 
 before Marignan. 
 
 The Swiss renewed the battle at break of 
 day, but found the French well prepared to 
 receive them. For three or four hours both 
 sides fought splendidly, but at last the Swiss 
 were dispersed and vanquished, and great 
 numbers lay dead on the field. The rest 
 retreated along the great road to Milan, 
 harassed the while by sword-blows from the 
 French and also from a Venetian contingent 
 
FRANCIS I. 147 
 
 which came up. So ended the battle of Marignan, 
 September 13th, 15 15. The veteran TrivulziO; 
 who had been in eighteen pitched battles, said 
 they were all child's play in comparsion with 
 thiS; which he called ^' the battle of the giants." 
 
 This victory gave Francis for a time the 
 possession of Milan which he so much desired. 
 The evening of this day of triumph for the 
 young King was joyfully kept in his camp, 
 all honour was accorded to him, and to many 
 others; but it was universally allowed that 
 Bayard had shown himself more than equal to 
 the renown he had so often won before. A very 
 great and peculiar honour was paid him by his 
 youthful Sovereign. Francis wished to receive 
 from him the accolade of knighthood. It was 
 given on the field of Marignan by the champion 
 to whom, in the two days' contest, universal 
 consent attributed the greatest valour, and the 
 new knight (the King) in his turn bestowed a 
 similar honour on one of his bravest followers. 
 
 Four years later the Emperor Maximilian 
 died, and was succeeded by his grandson, the 
 celebrated Charles V. ; but as will be remem- 
 bered, Francis was also a candidate for the 
 imperial dignity, and was far from pleased when 
 Charles was elected. 
 
 Soon afterwards the governor of Sedan, who 
 
1^8 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 was in the service of France, invaded the 
 Emperor's territory, and a large army was sent 
 against him which took one town, and another, 
 Mezieres, a fortified town on the Meuse, was 
 threatened. Francis ordered Bayard to proceed 
 thither, saying he knew no man in whom he had 
 more trust, and that he hoped he would guard it 
 well, till he himself was able to re-assemble his 
 troops and check the Emperor's movements. 
 Needless to say. Bayard joyfully received the 
 order, and went to Mezieres forthwith. He 
 found the place ill prepared to withstand a siege, 
 which might begin any moment. He at once 
 caused ramparts to be raised, and there was not 
 a man-at-arms, nor a foot soldier whom he did 
 not set to work ; while he laboured himself, and 
 encouraged them with the words, "We have 
 ditch, wall, and rampart, and I think that before 
 our foes set foot thereon, many will sleep in the 
 ditch." He inspired his men with such courage 
 that they felt they were in the strongest place in 
 the world. 
 
 Two days afterwards the siege began in two 
 places, one on one side of the river, and one on 
 the other, the commanders being respectively 
 the Count de Nassau and Franz de Sickingen 
 (this celebrated German knight is said to have 
 been the original of Albert Durer's picture, 
 " The Knight of Death "). 
 
FRANCIS I. 149 
 
 The following day the Germans sent a herald 
 to Bayard to represent to him that he could not 
 save the town, and that they would be grieved 
 to take it by assault from one so renowned; and 
 that, if he would listen to reason, they would 
 make such good terms with him as to content 
 him. Bayard listened, and smiled, and answered 
 without consulting any one — 
 
 '' Friend, I am surprised at the graciousness 
 of my Lords of Nassau and von Sickingen, who 
 so regard my person, but with whom I have 
 never had much to do. Tell them that the King, 
 my master, has many in this kingdom more able 
 than myself to guard this town, but that he has 
 confided it to me, and by God's aid I will defend 
 it till your masters are more weary of besieging 
 than I am of being besieged. You can add that 
 I am no child to be put off with words." 
 
 Then he ordered the herald to be well en- 
 tertained, and conducted out of the town, and 
 in due time Bayard's answer was reported to 
 the two commanders. There happened to be 
 present with them a gentleman of Picardy who 
 had served with Bayard in Italy, and he said 
 aloud— 
 
 " Do not expect, my Lords, to enter Mezieres 
 as long as the Lord of Bayard lives. I know 
 him ; he has led me to battle many a time. He 
 is one that, if he had with him the greatest 
 
150 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 cowards in the world, he would make them 
 brave. Be assured all those with him will die 
 in the breach, and he the foremost of them, 
 before we set foot in that town. I would rather 
 there were two thousand more men in the place 
 than Bayard in person." 
 
 ^' Captain Bayard is neither steel nor iron, for 
 all his valour. Let him show it, for in four days* 
 time he will be so bombarded that he will not 
 know where to turn." 
 
 " We shall see what happens," said the man 
 from Picardy, '^ but you will not take him as you 
 think." 
 
 Now Bayard was not only the bravest, but 
 the most cunning of warriors, and he wished he 
 could cause the division of von Sickingen to 
 cross back to the other side of the water, as its 
 present position was much annoying him. He 
 wrote to the governor of Sedan in the following 
 terms — 
 
 ^' My Lord, — I think you are aware I am 
 besieged in this town on one side by the Count 
 de Nassau, and on this side of the river by the 
 Lord von Sickingen. 1 believe that six months 
 ago you told me you desired to win the latter 
 over to the service of our master, the King, 
 which I would fain do, as he is a gallant man. 
 Now, if you think it can be arranged, it must be 
 
FRANCIS 1. 151 
 
 to-day rather than to-morrow. I shall be glad 
 if he consents, but if he does not, I warn you 
 that, within twenty-four hours, he and all his 
 camp will be cut to pieces; for within three 
 leagues there are twelve thousand Swiss, and 
 eight hundred men-at-arms, who to-morrow at 
 break of day will fall on his camp, and I shall 
 make a sortie by one of his flanks, that he will 
 be an able man if he escape. I wished to warn 
 you, but I beg that the matter may be kept 
 secret." 
 
 When this letter was written Bayard found a 
 peasant, and giving the man a crown, told him to 
 take that letter to the governor of Sedan, and to 
 tell him it was from Captain Bayard. 
 
 The peasant departed. Now Bayard knew it 
 would be impossible for him to avoid being 
 taken by von Sickingen's men, which is exactly 
 what happened when he was two bow-shots 
 from the town. When von Sickingen read the 
 letter he was very much astonished at its 
 contents. He began to suspect it was through 
 envy that the Count of Nassau had made him 
 cross the river, so that he might get beaten ; for 
 there was some jealousy between the two, and 
 he exclaimed — 
 
 " I know my Lord de Nassau seeks to ruin 
 me, but it shall not be so." 
 
152 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 The drum beat the call to the standard, and 
 made all ready to recross the river. When the 
 Count of Nassau heard the noise, he sent to 
 know what had happened, and when he was told 
 von Sickingen was preparing to cross the river, 
 he was stupefied, for it was almost like raising 
 the siege. He sent a private friend to beg he 
 would not move till they had talked together; 
 but von Sickingen said — 
 
 ^'Tell your master I shall do nothing he 
 requires, and that I shall not remain here to be 
 butchered ; and if he prevents me from camping 
 near him, we will try by fighting with whom the 
 field shall rest." 
 
 Never was man so completely bewildered as 
 the Count ; however, he drew up his men in battle 
 order so as not to be taken by surprise. In the 
 meantime the other division passed over the 
 river and ranged themselves in their turn. 
 They had all the appearance of enemies, and the 
 drums sounded furiously ! 
 
 The poor man who had taken the letter 
 escaped back into Mezieres, and excused himself 
 for not having got to Sedan, and said that 
 directly after the letter was taken, preparations 
 for leaving the camp were made. Bayard 
 shouted with laughter, as all had happened as he 
 had foreseen. He went on the ramparts, and 
 saw the two camps arrayed against each other. 
 
FRANCIS I. 153 
 
 " By my faith," he said, '' if they will not begin 
 to fight, I will." And he caused some cannons 
 to be shot off, after which the quarrel calmed 
 down and they all returned to their quarters. 
 
 The next day they packed off and raised the 
 siege without ever having given an assault^ but 
 peace was not easily made between tr two 
 commanders. So ended the siege of /^ezieres. 
 Bayard had kept the enemy at ba/ for three 
 weeks. During this time the Ki. '^^ had re- 
 assembled his army, and re-took the town of 
 Mouzon, where he gave Bayard a good reception 
 and was never tired of praising him. He made 
 him a knight of his Order (the Order of St. 
 Michael) and gave him a hundred men to 
 command. Then we gather that, just at this 
 time, one of Bayard's brothers received a 
 Bishopric, and the other a fine Abbey, given 
 doubtless in return for the services of '' Pierre," 
 the second brother of the four who lived together 
 as boys in the castle in Dauphiny. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 THE DEATH OF BAYARD 
 
 TN the year 1524 Francis had an army in Italy 
 -*■ under the command of Admiral Bonnivet 
 who, except for his physical courage, seems to 
 have been deficient in the qualities necessary for 
 a commander. It was by his orders that Bayard 
 was sent with two hundred horsemen and some 
 infantry to a village called Rebec, to harass 
 the Milanese. Although the Chevalier never 
 murmured at any commission given him, he did 
 not approve of this, thinking it both dangerous 
 and doubtful, and he expostulated, but to no 
 purpose. 
 
 On arriving at the village, he found it 
 impossible to defend it without more men, and 
 he wrote thus to the Admiral, but had no reply. 
 The enemy, who were in large numbers in Milan, 
 learnt through spies that Bayard was at Rebec 
 with a small force. So they started near mid- 
 night to surprise him. As it happened. Bayard 
 was ill, having spent two or three nights in the 
 
 154 
 
THE DEATH OF BAYARD 155 
 
 open; depression may have followed upon the 
 chill. At any rate he had to keep indoors, and 
 though he had ordered his captains to set the 
 watch and guard against surprise, they only half 
 did so ; and because it rained a little, the watch 
 had retired except for a few poor archers. 
 
 The Spaniards (for they were again the enemy 
 in Italy) marched onwards, each man having a 
 shirt over his armour, so as to be better seen by 
 night. They found no one till they came to the 
 few archers who were keeping watch, and who 
 fled crying '^Alarme!" but the enemy reached 
 the barriers as soon as they did. Bayard, who 
 always slept armed except for his cuirass, sprang 
 up and mounted and went straight to the barrier 
 with a few men, giving orders that all should join 
 the main camp as soon as possible, he himself 
 remaining till the last. Thus a retreat was 
 effected without the French losing ten men. 
 They were helped in this by the Spaniards 
 being so bent on finding Bayard's lodging that 
 they were dispersed all over the village. As 
 may be imagined some strong words passed 
 between Bayard and Admiral Bonnivet, and had 
 they both lived there might have been serious 
 consequences, for Bayard was. deeply grieved at 
 his ill-fortune, though it was not his fault but the 
 Admiral's. 
 
 Soon after this the main army retreated, as 
 
156 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 there was much sickness and lack of provisions. 
 Bayard, as he ever was in a retreat, was in the 
 rear-guard. The French were pursued from 
 stage to stage, and much harassed by Spanish 
 skirmishers, but when they came to charge, they 
 found themselves ever confronted by Bayard 
 with a few men-at-arms who either drove them 
 back, or at least made them rest quiet. The 
 Spaniards ended by placing some small artillery 
 on each side of a highway, across which bullets 
 were constantly thrown. 
 
 Bayard, as unmoved as if he had been in his 
 own house, marched his men at a good pace 
 along the road, himself with face always turned 
 towards the enemy, sword in hand, the cause of 
 more fear than a hundred others. But, so God 
 willed it, a bullet struck him — there was no hope 
 this time — his spine was broken. When he felt 
 the blow, he cried, ^^ Jesus!'' and then ^^ Helas ! 
 mon Dieii,je svds mort^ Then he took his sword 
 by the hilt, 'as if it had been a cross, and said in 
 Latin, '' Have mercy on me, O God, according to 
 Thy great goodness." Then he nearly fell, but 
 had sufficient strength to grasp his saddle-bow 
 and remained till his steward came to lift him 
 down and laid him under a tree. 
 
 When the news spread through the two 
 camps that Bayard was either killed or mortally 
 wounded, all were exceedingly grieved, gentlemen 
 
WHEN HE FELT THE BLOW, HE CRIED " jfeuS ! " AND THEN " HELAS ! WON DIEU, JE SUIS 
 
 MORT !" 
 
I 
 
THE DEATH OF BAYARD 157 
 
 and common soldiers, French and Spaniards 
 alike. Yes, the Spaniards too, who though they 
 specially feared him, appreciated his humanity 
 and generosity, and recognized that his death 
 meant a loss to chivalry. One of the principal 
 Spanish Captains, the ^Marquis of Pescara, came 
 to see him and said — 
 
 '^ . . I have never seen or known a knight 
 that was your equal. And although I ought to 
 be pleased to see you thus, as my master the 
 Emperor has no more powerful enemy, yet 
 considering the loss this day to all the chivalry 
 in the world, I would give half of my possessions 
 could it be otherwise. But since against Death 
 there is no remedy, I pray Him Who has created 
 us all in His likeness, that He will receive your 
 soul into His keeping." 
 
 Such regrets did the Marquis of Pescara 
 and many other captains make over the pros- 
 trate form of Bayard. Barely six men were 
 there from the whole Spanish force who did not 
 come in turn to see him. 
 
 If his enemies treated him thus, the despair 
 which reigned in the French camp can be 
 imagined ; for Bayard was loved by all, and 
 those of his own company were inconsolable. 
 His serving-men were all benumbed with grief, 
 and amongst them his poor steward, who had 
 never left him (was this the Loyal Serviteur?) 
 
158 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 and to whom his master confessed himself before 
 a priest arrived. So unhappy was he that his 
 master tried to comfort him — 
 
 '' Jacques, my friend, do not weep ; it is the 
 will of God to take me from this world ; I have 
 by His grace remained here long, and have 
 received more goods and honours than were my 
 due. My one regret in dying is that I have not 
 done my duty as well as I ought, and I hoped if 
 I had lived longer to have atoned for my past 
 faults. But since it is so, I beg my Creator of 
 His infinite compassion to have pity on my poor 
 soul. I hope that through His great and in- 
 comprehensible goodness He will not treat me 
 with the rigour of justice. I beg of you, Jacques, 
 my friend, to let no one move me from this place, 
 for when I move I feel all the pain it is possible 
 to feel without death— and that will take me 
 
 soon." 
 
 Before the Spaniards had come up, a Swiss 
 Captain with five or six men were very anxious 
 to move him on their pikes to a place of safety, 
 where he would not fall into the hands of his 
 enemies, but he, knowing what agony that would 
 be, begged them to leave him to ''think of his 
 conscience." The good provost of Paris had also 
 come up, but both these friends had to leave 
 him, to their great sorrow. 
 
 Bayard lived for two or three hours, and a fine 
 
THE DEATH OF BAYARD 159 
 
 pavilion was pitched for him by the Spaniards, 
 and a priest was brought to whom he confessed 
 most devoutly. And then — Pierre de Terail, the 
 good Knight without fear and without reproach, 
 breathed his last. 
 
 Certain gentlemen were appointed by the 
 leaders of the Spanish army to bear his body to 
 the church, where solemn services were recited 
 over him for two days. Then he was brought 
 by his serving-men into Dauphiny, and wherever 
 the procession stopped in passing through the 
 lands of the Duke of Savoy, as much honour was 
 paid him, as if he had been the Duke's brother. 
 When the report of his death reached Dauphiny, 
 the mourning there cannot be described. Pre- 
 lates and Churchmen, Nobles and People, all 
 equally shared in it. 
 
 The funeral cortege was met, and conducted 
 from church to church in great pomp to nearly 
 as far as Grenoble, where, half a league from 
 that city, it was met by all the chief people from 
 there, and the body rested in the Church of 
 Notre-Dame a day and a night. On the follow- 
 ing day it was taken with the same honours to 
 the monastery of the Minims, which was founded 
 by his uncle, the good Bishop of Grenoble, and 
 there he was buried. 
 
 A further account of the mourning, and the 
 
158 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 and to whom his master confessed himself before 
 a priest arrived. So unhappy was he that his 
 master tried to comfort him — 
 
 '^ Jacques, my friend, do not weep ; it is the 
 will of God to take me from this world ; I have 
 by His grace remained here long, and have 
 received more goods and honours than were my 
 due. My one regret in dying is that I have not 
 done my duty as well as I ought, and I hoped if 
 I had lived longer to have atoned for my past 
 faults. But since it is so, I beg my Creator of 
 His infinite compassion to have pity on my poor 
 soul. I hope that through His great and in- 
 comprehensible goodness He will not treat me 
 with the rigour of justice. I beg of you, Jacques, 
 my friend, to let no one move me from this place, 
 for when I move I feel all the pain it is possible 
 to feel without death—and that will take me 
 soon." 
 
 Before the Spaniards had come up, a Swiss 
 Captain with five or six men were very anxious 
 to move him on their pikes to a place of safety, 
 where he would not fall into the hands of his 
 enemies, but he, knowing what agony that would 
 be, begged them to leave him to ''think of his 
 conscience." The good provost of Paris had also 
 come up, but both these friends had to leave 
 him, to their great sorrow. 
 
 Bayard lived for two or three hours, and a fine 
 
THE DEATH OF BAYARD 159 
 
 pavilion was pitched for him by the SpaniardSj 
 and a priest was brought to whom he confessed 
 most devoutly. And then — Pierre de Terail, the 
 good Knight without fear and without reproach, 
 breathed his last. 
 
 Certain gentlemen were appointed by the 
 leaders of the Spanish army to bear his body to 
 the church, where solemn services were recited 
 over him for two days. Then he was brought 
 by his serving-men into Dauphiny, and wherever 
 the procession stopped in passing through the 
 lands of the Duke of Savoy, as much honour was 
 paid him, as if he had been the Duke's brother. 
 When the report of his death reached Dauphiny, 
 the mourning there cannot be described. Pre- 
 lates and Churchmen, Nobles and People, all 
 equally shared in it. 
 
 The funeral cortege was met, and conducted 
 from church to church in great pomp to nearly 
 as far as Grenoble, where, half a league from 
 that city, it was met by all the chief people from 
 there, and the body rested in the Church of 
 Notre-Dame a day and a night. On the follow- 
 ing day it was taken with the same honours to 
 the monastery of the Minims, which was founded 
 by his uncle, the good Bishop of Grenoble, and 
 there he was buried. 
 
 A further account of the mourning, and the 
 
160 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 pomp of the funeral is not needful. Many and 
 many have received similar honours from those 
 of their own time, but Bayard's name has been 
 handed down for over three centuries as an 
 example of the essence of a true and noble 
 knight. That is his real monument. Let us 
 therefore glance at the final eulogy of his cha- 
 racter, for it was not his deeds so much as his 
 character which earned him this celebrity. 
 
 He was a religious man. He loved and 
 feared God above everything. He never swore 
 or took His Holy Name in vain. He turned to 
 Him in his difficulties, and never left his room 
 without prayer. Often on cold winter nights he 
 would rise to pray when those with him were 
 sleeping. 
 
 He was a generous man. If one of his 
 soldiers lost his horse, he would be sure to give 
 him another, and he would often exchange a 
 valuable Spanish steed for a hack worth but six 
 crowns, but which he would declare well suited 
 his purpose. He would change a robe of velvet 
 or satin for a small cloak. He was poor himself, 
 but was as liberal as the greatest prince on earth ; 
 for all he gained in war he gave away to those 
 who had need. Besides, he gave to many 
 privately without "bruiting" it about. When 
 he was in a conquered country, he would always 
 pay the man or woman where he lodged for 
 
THE DEATH OF BAYARD 161 
 
 what he had had, although many times they 
 would say — 
 
 ^^ My Lord, it is but waste to pay us, for when 
 you are gone they will set the place on fire, and 
 take what you have given." And he would 
 answer — 
 
 ^' I do my duty. God has not placed me in the 
 world to live by pillage and rapine." 
 
 He was a truthful man, never a flatterer, 
 always speaking the truth to whomsoever he was 
 talking, whether he were a prince or some one 
 quite inferior. No warrior knew better than he 
 that nothing is gained by boasting. On the field 
 of battle, no one so calm, but withal so gifted 
 with the art of inspiring courage in others, that 
 had he lived in these days we should have said he 
 was possessed of a marvellous personality, which 
 he exercised to the best advantage. 
 
 In the words of his faithful Loyal Serviteur, 
 "That he has been loved and honoured in his 
 own country is no wonder, for he has been 
 honoured by other nations. And this glory has 
 not lasted one year or two years, but all his life, 
 and it still lasts after his death. It is because 
 the good life he has led deserves immortal 
 renown. Never would he defend even his 
 dearest friend against the right ; he often said 
 that ' empires, kingdoms, and provinces without 
 justice are forests full of brigands.' In warfare 
 
 M 
 
162 THE STORY OF BAYARD 
 
 he has always had three excellent qualities, 
 which go to make a perfect knight, 'onset of 
 greyhound, fence of boar, and flight of wolf.' . . . 
 I have done the best I could, but not said all that 
 was due to the glorious memory of so perfect a 
 man as le bon Chevalier sans peur et sans reproche" 
 
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