the battle commenced, and forty
thousand Christians were slain, together with Milo, their General, the
father of Orlando. The King's horse was likewise slain under him; but
Charles resolutely continued the fight on foot, and with two thousand
Christians gallantly hewed his way through the Saracens, cleaving many
of them asunder from the shoulders to the waist.

The following day both Christians and Saracens remained quietly in their
camps, but the day after four Marquisses brought four thousand fresh
troops from Italy to the King's assistance; whereupon Argolander
retreated with his army to Leon, and Charles led back his forces to
France.

And here it is proper to observe we should strive for Christ's blessing;
for as the soldiers prepared their arms against the day of battle, so we
in like manner should prepare ours, namely, our virtues to resist our
passions. For he that would oppose faith to infidelity, brotherly love
to hatred, charity to avarice, humility to pride, chastity to lust,
prayer to temptation, perseverance to instability, peace to strife,
obedience to a carnal disposition, must fortify his soul with grace, and
prepare his spear to flourish against the day of judgment. Triumphant
indeed will he be in heaven who conquers on earth! As the King's
soldiers died for their faith, so should we die to sin, and live in
holiness in this world, that we may receive the palm of glory in the
next, which shall be the reward of those who fight manfully against
their three grand adversaries, the World, the Flesh, and the Devil.

CHAPTER IX.

_Of King Argolander's Army._

Argolander now assembled together innumerable nations of Saracens,
Moors, Moabites, Parthians, Africans, and Persians: Texephin, King of
Arabia; Urabell, King of Alexandria; Avitus, King of Bugia; Ospin, King
of Algarve; Facin, King of Barbary; Ailis, King of Malclos; Manuo, King
of Mecca; Ibrahim, King of Seville; and Almanzor, King of Cordova. Then,
marching to the city of Agen, he took it, and sent word to Charles he
would give him sixty horse-load of gold, silver, and jewels, if he would
acknowledge his right to the sceptre. But Charles returned this answer,
"that he would acknowledge him no otherwise than by slaying him whenever
it should be his chance to meet him in battle."

The Emperor had by this time approached within four miles of Agen, when,
secretly dismissing his army, he proceeded with only sixty soldiers to
the mountain near