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Show THE SAME FOR SEVEN CENTURIES I The following from "The Historians History H of the World" demonstrates pretty clearly that H in six hundred years there has been little change H in the feeling between German md France, H and there is a parallel in the following and the H accounts of the present warfare that is very H striking, considering the centuries that have H intervened. H An excerpt from the old account reads: "The H armies of France and Germany found themselves H arrayed against each other in national hostility, H each commanded by its respective monarch. H The rival hosts met at Bouvines, in the month H of August, 1211. Twenty thousand combatants M on either side, together with the presence of two JH monarcliB, gave gravity and importance to the jJ meeting." IjH The Battle of Bouvines, A. D. 1214. tl "The two armies remained for a time a short ' H distance apart not daring to begin operations, Hfl and the French were retreating over the bridge IS of Bouvines to march upon Hainault, when the H enemy, attacking the rear guard, obliged them H to turn about. IB "The Chaplain William le Breton, who during H the action remained beside the king singing H psalms, says: 'Philip was resting under a tree IH near a chapel, his armor laid aside. At the ijH first sound of combat he entered the church H for a short prayer, armed hastily, and D HB mounted his steed with a great enthu- M siasm as though on his way to a wedding or MB a feast. Loud shouts resounded from the field: BS 'To arms, men of war, to arms!' together with the blare of trumpets. The king rode to the jfflj front, not waiting for his banner the orifiammo 10 of St. Denis, a flag of scarlet silk, that day car- M ried by Gallon de Montigry, a bravo man. The Hjfl bishop-elect of Senlis, Guerin, ordered the battle IJB so that the French had tho un behind them, II while the enemy fought with the sun in their BU eyes. Three hundred mounted peasants of Sols- . II sons, vassals of the Abbot of St. Medard, opened BB action on tho right wing, boldly charging the HI Flemish cavalry. The latter hesitated to en- Bl gage with their inferiors, but tho cry, 'Death to Bl the French!' raised by one among them proved BE decisive; and the Burgundians, led by their duke BS arriving to reinforce those of Soissons, there was Bl a furious combat. On this side Count Fcrrand 1 of Flanders fought. D "When the battle began the militia had al- 1 ready crossed the bridge; they recrossed in 1 haste, rallied under the royal standard, and took 1 position in the center in front of the king and 1 his guard. The Gorman cavalry, among whom 1 rode the Emperor Otto, charged and penetrated l their ranks, and had almost rr ached the king 11 when they were checked by tho prompt action I' of his officers. In the midst of this encounter I arrived the German infantry. These dragged I Philip from his horse, and before he could re- i cover his feet attempted to thrust at him through the visor of his helmet or a flaw in his armour. Montigry, who carried the colors, waved his ban- mtj ner frantically for assistance; some horse-and M foot-soldiers hastened up. These rescued the H king, and he again plunged into the melee. Otto H I in his turn was near to being captured. William H des iBarres the bravest and ablest of the French H cavaliers, the fortunate adversary of Richard the H i Lion-hearted, whom he had twice overcome, had H the emperor by the helmet, and was thrusting at B ! him furiously when overwhelmed by a torrent of H : the enemy. Unable to make him loose his hold H or to close with him, they killed his horse under B1 him; but disentangling himself he succeeded, H , alone and on foot, in clearing with his sword and H' his poniard an ample space around him. Otto B; escaped. On the right Ferrand, count of Flan- B; ders, had fallen wounded into the hands of the B( French; in the center the emperor and his Ger- B man princes had taken to flight." |