36. The confederates, in order to oppose this formidable invasion,
occupied a position in the mountains bordering on the convent of Our
Lady of the Hermits. Four hundred men of Uri, and three hundred of
Unterwalden, had effected a junction with the warriors of Schwytz, who
formed the principal force of the little army. Fifty men, banished
from this latter canton, offered themselves to combat beneath their
banner, intending to efface by their valor the remembrance of past
faults. Early on the morning of November 15, 1315, some thousands of
well-armed Austrian knights slowly ascended the hill on which the
Swiss were posted, with the hope of dislodging them; the latter,
however, advanced to meet their enemies, uttering the most terrific
cries. The band of banished men, having precipitated large stones and
fragments of rocks from the hillsides and from overhanging cliffs,
rushed from behind the sheltering influence of a thick fog and threw
the advancing columns into confusion. The Austrians immediately broke
their ranks, and presently a complete rout, with terrible slaughter,
ensued. The flower of the Austrian chivalry perished on the field of
Morgarten, beneath the halberts, arrows, and iron-headed clubs of the
shepherds. Leopold, himself, though he succeeded in gaining the
shattered remnant of his forces, had a narrow escape, while the Swiss,
animated by victory, hastened to Unterwalden, where they defeated
another body of Austrians. In this instance Count Otho had as narrow
an escape as the emperor.

37. After these two well-fought fields, the confederates hastened to
renew their ancient alliance, which was solemnly sworn to in an
assembly held at Brunnen on the eighth day of December.

38. After the battle of Morgarten one canton after another threw off
the Austrian yoke, and joined the forest cantons, until nearly all