match; but in a minute the French army was caught between Count di
Cajazzo, barring the way with his four hundred men-at-arms and his two
thousand infantry, and Gonzaga in pursuit of the rear, as we said before;
leading six hundred men-at-arms, the flower of his army, a squadron of
Stradiotes, and more than five thousand infantry: this division alone was
stronger than the whole of the French army.

When, however, M. de Guise and M. de la Trimouille found themselves
pressed in this way, they ordered their two hundred men-at-arms to turn
right about face, while at the opposite end--that is, at the head of the
army-Marechal de Gie and Trivulce ordered a halt and lances in rest.
Meanwhile, according to custom, the king, who, as we said, was in the
centre, was conferring knighthood on those gentlemen who had earned the
favour either by virtue of their personal powers or the king's special
friendship.

Suddenly there was heard a terrible clash behind it was the French
rearguard coming to blows with the Marquis of Mantua. In this encounter,
where each man had singled out his own foe as though it were a
tournament, very many lances were broken, especially those of the Italian
knights; for their lances were hollowed so as to be less heavy, and in
consequence had less solidity. Those who were thus disarmed at once
seized their swords. As they were far more numerous than the French, the
king saw them suddenly outflanking his right wing and apparently prepared
to surround it; at the same moment loud cries were heard from a direction
facing the centre: this meant that the Stradiotes were crossing the river
to make their attack.

The king at once ordered his division into two detachments, and giving
one to Bourbon the bastard, to make head against the Stradiotes, he