met with a tremendous shock, raising their respective war-cries, "Denis
Mount Joye!" and "St. George Guyenne!" Lances were shivered, and horses
and men rolled over, but the German horse was borne down in every
direction by the charge of the English chivalry. The Counts of Nassau
and Saarbruck were taken, and the rest driven down the hill in utter
confusion. The division of the Duke of Orleans, a little further down
the hill to the right, were seized with a sudden panic, and 16,000
men-at-arms, together with their commander, fled without striking a
blow.

Having routed the French and German cavalry in advance, the English now
fell upon the Dauphin's division. This had been already confused by the
attacks of the Captal De Buch, and when its leaders beheld the complete
rout of the marshals and the Germans, and saw the victorious force
galloping down upon them, the responsibility attached to the charge of
the three young princes overcame their firmness. The Lords of Landas,
Vaudenay, and St. Venant, thinking the battle lost, hurried the princes
from the field, surrounded by eight hundred lances, determined to place
them at a secure distance, and then to return and fight beside the king.
The retreat of the princes at once disorganized the force, but though
many fled a number of the nobles remained scattered over the field
fighting in separate bodies with their own retainers gathered under
their banners. Gradually these fell back and took post on the left of
the French king's division. The Constable and the Duke of Bourbon with
a large body of knights and men-at-arms also opposed a firm front to
the advance of the English. The king saw with indignation one of his
divisions defeated and the other in coward flight, but his forces were
still vastly superior to those of the English, and ordering his men to
dismount, he prepared to receive their onset. The English now gathered
their forces which had been scattered in combat, and again advanced to
the fight. The archers as usual heralded this advance with showers of
arrows, which shook the ranks of the French and opened the way for the
cavalry. These dashed in, and the ranks of the two armies became mixed,
and each man fought hand to hand. The French king fought on foot with
immense valour and bravery, as did his nobles. The Dukes of Bourbon and
Athens, the Lords of Landas, Argenton, Chambery, Joinville, and many
others stood and died near the king.

Gradually the English drove ba