To the king it was of infinite advantage that no delay should occur.  Nevertheless, it was Charles who opened active hostilities on July 15th, with soldiers who had not broken their fast that day.  Armed since early dawn, wearied by a forced march with a July sun beating down upon their heads, their movements hampered by standing wheat and rye, the men were at a tremendous disadvantage when they were led to the attack.  It was a hot assault.  No quarter was given, many fled.  At length, Louis found himself abandoned by all save his body-guard.  Pressed against the hill that bounded the grain fields, the king at last retreated up its slope into a castle on its summit.

Charles rode impetuously after the retreating royalists.  Separated from his men, he fell among the royal guard at the gate of the castle.  There was a vehement assault resisted as vehemently by his meagre escort.  Several fell and Charles himself received a sword wound on his neck where his armour had slipped.  Recognised by the French, he might have been taken or slain in his resistance, when the Bastard of Burgundy rode in and rescued him.  Very desperate seemed the count’s condition.  When night fell, no one knew where lay the advantage.  The fugitives spread rumours that the king was dead and that Charles was in possession, others carried the reverse statements as they rode headlong to the nearest safety.  It was a rout on both sides with no credit to either leader.  But in the darkness of the night, the king managed to slip out of his retreat and march quietly towards the greater security of Paris.

It was a very shadowy victory that Charles proudly claimed.  All through the night of July 15th, the Burgundians were discussing whether to flee or to risk further fighting against the odds all recognised.  Daybreak found the council in session when a peasant brought tidings that the foe had departed.  The fires in sight only covered their retreat.  To be sure that same foe had taken Burgundian baggage with them to Paris.  But what of that?  The Burgundians held the battlefield and they made the best of it.

On July 16th, Louis supped with the military governor of Paris and “moved the company, nobles and ladies, to sympathetic tears by his touching description of the perils he had met and escaped.”  Charles, meanwhile, effected a junction with his belated allies, Francis of Brittany and Charles of France, the Duke of Berry, at Etampes.  Thither too, came the dukes of Bourbon and of Lorraine, but none of these leaguers could claim any share in the battle of Montl’hery.

[Illustration:  BATTLE OF MONTL’HERY, JULY 16, 1465 (COMINES, ED. LENGLET DU FRESNOY, 1.)]