It was this very time which the Spaniards and Italians had chosen for their attack.  They marched on through the night, which was very dark, and in order to recognise each other they all wore a white shirt over their armour.  When they arrived near the village they were amazed to see no one, and began to fear that the Good Knight had heard of their enterprise and had retired to Biagrasso.  A hundred steps farther on they came upon the few poor archers on the watch, who fled, crying, “Alarm!  Alarm!” But they were so hotly pursued that the foe was at the barriers as soon as they were.

The Good Knight, who in such danger never slept without his steel gauntlets and thigh-pieces, with his cuirass by his side, was soon armed, and mounted his horse, which was already saddled.  Then, with five or six of his own men-at-arms, he rode straight to the barrier, and was joined by de Lorges and some of his foot-soldiers, who made a good fight.  The village was already surrounded, and eager search was made for Bayard, who was the sole object of the expedition, and there was much shouting and confusion.  When the Good Knight at the barrier heard the drums of the enemy’s foot-soldiers, he said to the Captain Lorges:  “My friend, if they pass this barrier we are done for.  I pray you, retire with your men, keep close together and march straight for Biagrasso, while I remain with the horsemen to protect your rear.  We must leave the enemy our baggage, but let us save the men.”  Lorges at once obeyed, and the retreat was carried out so cleverly that not ten men we’re lost.  The Emperor’s people were still seeking for the Good Knight when he had already reached Biagrasso and spoken his mind to the Admiral.  Bayard was quite broken-hearted at the misfortune which had befallen him, although it was certainly not his fault, but there is more chance in war than in anything else.

Still, there was more than chance in these disasters of the French in Italy.  They had quite miscalculated the strength of their enemies, amongst whom was now the famous general, Charles de Bourbon, late Constable of France.  The young French King, at a time when Spain, England, and Italy were all against him, had most unwisely deprived Bourbon of the whole of his vast estates by means of a legal quibble; and his greatest subject, driven to desperation by this ungrateful treatment, had passed over to the service of Charles V., and was now in command of the Spanish army.  It was he who urged the immediate pursuit of the French when Bonnivet, discouraged by ill success and sickness in his camp, retreated from his strong position at Biagrasso.  He made one blunder after another, for now that it was too late he sent a messenger to raise a levy of six thousand Swiss to join him by way of Ivria.