"Both our lances flew into a thousand pieces."
"That accounts for it," said I; "he is a Frenchman; and had he been a Scotchman, I had now been a corpse."
The enemy was now commencing to give way in places; yet the fight was still a goodly one.
Sir Frederick was nowhere to be seen; so I quickly secured a sword from a poor knight, who had still the head and part of the shaft of a lance sticking in his side, and then did I plunge into the fight once more. I forced my way through a struggling crowd of the enemies' foot soldiers, cutting them down as I went; when suddenly I espied a knight on foot, surrounded by a score or more of these rascals.
"To the rescue!" cried I, and dashed into the circle. The knight was standing beside his horse, which was dead, and making great strokes with his sword, in all directions. Thus he had kept a circle clear around him. Several corpses in that deadly circle told why the rest stood back. But, just as I came up, one of the knaves did venture to make a dash forward, when the brave champion's head was turned. I was upon him in an instant. "Ha! thou coward ruffian, take that!" I cried, as, with a straight downward stroke, I cleft his head from top to chin. Just then some of our men-at-arms came up, and the few Scots which escaped us did so by their fleetness of foot, and their knowledge of the country's many hiding-places.
"Thou art not too soon," said Harleston, for it was he, as he opened his visor and wiped his brow. "Indeed I was hard pressed by that pack of hyenas."
I quickly secured a horse for my friend, and again we plunged into the thick of the fight. We soon became engaged with three knights which were like to have done for us, had not,—when we were sorely pressed—an arrow struck one of their horses, causing it to fall. The rider fell with his leg underneath, and so was unable to take any further part in the fight. I pressed my opponent from the first, and soon had him at my mercy. I gave him an opportunity to surrender, but as he refused to do so, I waited until his arm was raised for a blow, when, with my shield held over my head, I drove my sword straight under his arm, where the armour divides. I heard my point strike his harness on the other side, as it went through his body, so great was the force of the blow.
Hot and furious was now the fight. The enemy were fleeing in all directions, and our gallant troops were pressing them full hard. Loud blew the trumpets, the signal for the continuance of the slaughter. Berwick itself must now be carried whilst our blood was still at fever heat. I looked around to see how fared my friend, in his contest with the knight with whom I had seen him engaged. No sight could I see of either of them; but there was Harleston's horse straying riderless about the field. I recognized it by the peculiarity of its housing. A great sadness did then possess me, for I did greatly fear that my dear friend must have fallen at the hand of his opponent. "Indeed he must be dead," said I; "else how could his steed be riderless?" Then did I swear a great and savage oath of vengeance. "For his life an hundred Scots shall die, and still shall he be but poorly paid for." Thus did I think; for during the short time in which I had known Sir Frederick I had learned to love this noble knight, better far than I would a brother.
Our forces came on, eager to avenge the loss of their comrades which had fallen that day, and these amounted to a considerable number. Now and then a small body of the foe were driven to bay, and seldom were they spared. I seemed to be changed into a demon, with the thirst for blood. Every one of the enemy that did fall into my hands, I slaughtered, and felt a savage delight in doing it. Ah! the fierce delirium of victory.