set forth either in pursuit of the enemy or other prey, fearing
lest the followers of Conradino should gather together, or should
sally forth from some ambush, but to abide firm and in order on the
field; and so was it done. And this was very fortunate, for Don Henry,
with his Spaniards, and other Germans, which had pursued into a valley
the Provencals and Italians whom they had first discomfited, and which
had not seen King Charles offer battle nor the discomfiture of
Conradino, had now gathered his men together, and was returning to the
field; and seeing King Charles' troop, he believed them to be
Conradino and his following, so that he came down from the hill where
he had assembled his men, to come to his allies; and when he drew nigh
unto them, he recognised the standards of the enemy, and how much
deceived he had been; and he was sore dismayed; but, like the valiant
lord he was, he rallied and closed up his troop after such a fashion
that King Charles and his followers, which were spent by the toils of
the combat, did not venture to strike into Don Henry's troop, and to
the end they might not risk the game already won, they abode in array
over against one another a good space. The good M. Alardo, seeing
this, said to the king that they must needs make the enemy break their
ranks in order to rout them; whereon the king bade him act after his
mind. Then he took of the best barons of the king's troop from twenty
to thirty, and they set forth from the troop, as though they fled for
fear, as he had instructed them. The Spaniards, seeing how the
standard-bearers of sundry of these lords were wheeling round as
though in act to flee, with vain hope began to cry: "They are put to
flight," and began to leave their own ranks, desiring to pursue them.
King Charles, seeing gaps and openings in the troop of Spaniards, and
others on the German side, began boldly to strike among them, and M.
Alardo with his men wisely gathered themselves together and returned
to the troop. Then was the battle fierce and hard; but the Spaniards
were well armed, and by stroke of sword might not be struck to the
ground, and continually after their fashion they drew close together.
Then began the French to cry out wrathfully, and to take hold of them
by the arms and drag them from their horses after the manner of
tournaments; and this was done to such good purpose that in a short
time they were routed, and defeated, and put to flight, and many of
them