When the detachment perceived this, they left off the attack they had begun, and pursued the runaways, whom they charged, not once, but several times, beating down and slaying them without mercy,--and, in short, routed them so effectually that, through fear of death, they fled here and there, into woods and other places, to hide themselves.
This party of the Liegeois being either killed, dispersed, or taken prisoners, the horsemen returned to their main body, gallantly fighting the enemy, who, it must be said, defended themselves courageously. In truth, the event of this battle was some time doubtful,--for, during one half hour, it could not be known which side would be victorious. The noise of their war-cries was frightful:--the Burgundians and Hainaulters shouted under their banners, ‘Our Lady for Burgundy! Our Lady for Hainault!’ and the Liegeois, in their turn, shouted, ‘St Lambert for Pier-Yves!’
The men of Liege would perhaps have conquered, if this detachment on horseback, when returned from the defeat of the runaways, had not again fallen on their rear, and behaved so marvellously well that those who opposed them were pierced through, and all attempts to check them were vain. A great slaughter was made by them in a short time, for none were admitted to ransom; and by their vigour whole ranks fell one over the other, for now all the weight and power of the infantry were brought against them.
The defeat once begun, there were such heaps of dead and wounded that it was melancholy to behold, for they were thicker in many places than stooks of corn in harvest. This ought not to occasion surprise; for when the common people are assembled, badly armed, and puffed up with their extravagant desires, although they be in great numbers, yet shall they hardly be able to resist an army composed of noblemen well tried in arms, even when God shall permit it so to be. At this period of the battle, and near to the banner of the duke of Burgundy, where the conflict was the strongest, fell the lord de Pierre-Yves and his two sons,--namely, the one who had been elected bishop of Liege and his brother: they were instantly put to death.
The heir of Salmes[6], who bore the standard of St Lambert, namely, the eldest son to the count de Salmes[6], who was in the army of the two dukes; sir John Collet, and many other knights and esquires to the amount of upwards of five hundred; all the english archers, and about twenty-eight thousand of the commonalty, were left dead on the field,--and more perished by arrow-shots than by any other weapon.