But Bayard suggested that five hundred of these soldiers, carefully chosen, would be quite enough for one man to command if he did his duty thoroughly, and to this the King agreed, bidding the Good Knight bring them to join his army in the duchy of Milan.

The important city of Padua, which had been restored to the Emperor Maximilian, was left through his carelessness with a small garrison of only 800 “landsknechte” (German foot-soldiers).  Two Venetian captains contrived an ingenious stratagem for recovering the city.  It was the month of July by this time, and immense waggons of hay, from the second mowing, were entering Padua every day.  A number of Venetians made an ambush under some thick trees about a bow-shot from the walls, then they hid behind the hay-waggons and crept in through the gates, which at a given signal they opened to their comrades.  The German soldiers, taken by surprise, were put to death, and the command was given to the brave General Pitigliano, who repaired and strengthened the fortifications, knowing of what immense importance this city was to his Republic.

Maximilian was extremely annoyed by the loss of Padua, and collected a great army, composed of men from all the allies, to besiege it.  He also brought to bear against it the strongest artillery ever used—­one hundred and six pieces of cannon and six immense mortars, “so heavy that they could not be raised on gun-carriages, they could only be loaded with stones, and were fired off not more than four times a day.”  The city was strongly fortified and defended, and it was decided to attack the most important gate which led to Vicenza.  This being a most perilous enterprise, the command was given to Bayard of the attacking party.  The gate was approached by a long, straight road between deep ditches, and there were four great barriers at two hundred steps from each other, all thoroughly defended.  There was a fierce contest at every one of these barriers, and many gallant knights fell in the attack, but the last one was the worst, for it was only a stone’s-throw from the battlements.  The besieged rained stones on them with their artillery, and the assault lasted more than an hour with pike and battle-axe.

Then the Good Knight, seeing that this became tedious, cried to his companions:  “Gentlemen, these men give us too much play; let us charge on foot and gain this barrier.”  Thirty or forty men-at-arms sprang from their horses and with raised visors dashed at the barrier with their lances, but the Venetians met them again and again with fresh relays of men.  Then Bayard shouted:  “At this rate, gentlemen, they will keep us here for six years; we must give them a desperate assault and let each man do as I do!” This they promised, and the trumpet was sounded, when with one tremendous rush they drove back the defenders by the length of a lance, and with a ringing war-cry Bayard sprang over the barrier followed by his friends.  When the French saw the danger in which these gallant men were, there was such a charge against the final barrier that the enemy was driven back in disorder into the town.  Thus the approaches were gained, and the Emperor’s artillery was brought forward, and remained there for six weeks until the siege was raised.