ce to his
position, and from the stillness of his skirmishers, that Mayenne was
determined not to commence the engagement, Henry took advantage of an
error which the Duke had committed in the choice of his ground, and
which exposed his cavalry, scattered over the face of a slope. He
accordingly ordered his artillery to open a fire upon the adverse
squadrons, which was executed by M. de la Guiche with great precision
and effect, nine discharges taking place before the Leaguers could
fire a gun. Nearly at the same time, news was brought that Monsieur
de Humieres, Mouy, and about three hundred horse, were hurrying up to
join the King, and were barely a mile distant; but Henry would not
delay the engagement.

"The battle was now begun by the light horse advancing on the part of
the League, followed by a heavy body of lanzknechts; but they were
met in full career by Marshal D'Aumont, at the head of about three
hundred men-at-arms, and driven back in confusion to the edge of the
wood, called La Haye des pres, where D'Aumont, according to the
commands he had previously received from Henry, halted his small
force, and returned in good order. While this was taking place on the
left of the King's army, a body of reiters from the enemy's right,
advanced against the light horse of Givri and the Grand Prior, but
were repulsed; and having made their charge and fired their pistols,
retired, as was the common practice of the German troopers, to form
behind the men-at-arms. The Royalist light horse, however, had been
thrown into some disorder by this attack, and were immediately after
assailed by a squadron of heavy cavalry, consisting of Walloons and
Flemings, who, with their long lances, bade fair to overthrow Givri
and the Grand Prior, when the Baron de Biron, by a well-timed charge
in flank, broke through their ranks, receiving two wounds in his
advance. Montpensier now moved forward to encounter the same corps in
front, and after having his horse killed under him, succeeded in
restoring the advantage to the Royalists in that part of the field.
Before this was accomplished, Mayenne, with the great bulk of his
cavalry, advanced against the King himself. He was accompanied by
Count Egmont, the Duke of Nemours, and the Chevalier D'Aumale, and
had on his left a body