The ardor on both sides was extreme; and, during nearly three hours, victory seemed to twice shift her colors.

Henry at one time found himself entangled amongst some squadrons so disorganized that he shouted, "Courage, gentlemen; pray, courage! Can't we find fifty gentlemen willing to die with their king ?" At this moment Chatillon, issuing from Dieppe with five hundred picked men, arrived on the field of battle.

The king dismounted to fight at his side in the trenches; and then, for a quarter of an hour, there was a furious combat, man to man.

At last, "when things were in this desperate state," says Sully, "the fog, which had been very thick all the morning, dropped down suddenly, and the cannon of the castle of Arques getting sight of the enemy's army, a volley of four pieces was fired, which made four beautiful lanes in their squadrons and battalions.

That pulled them up quite short; and three or four volleys in succession, which produced marvellous effects, made them waver, and, little by little, retire all of them behind the turn of the valley, out of cannon-shot, and finally to their quarters." Mayenne had the retreat sounded.