nd many other gallant captains
were under him.

The task before them was to subdue Milan, which had, with the aid of
Charles V., Emperor of Germany and King of Spain, again thrown off its
allegiance to France.

The French encamped before Milan in the little town of Biagras; but it
soon developed that they were no match for the powerful army of allied
Milanese, Germans, Spaniards, and Venetians. Moreover, their forces were
being daily depleted by sickness and desertion. Added to these
misfortunes were bad faith and bad generalship on the part of the
commander, Bonivet.

Matters in the French camp went from bad to worse, while on the other
hand the ranks of the emperor were being continually reinforced.

An attack from the powerful and well-equipped enemy was now daily
expected, so the admiral determined that there was nothing to do but
retire from his position at Biagras. In the retreat, however, he took
the post of danger with Bayard in the rear-guard, between the retiring
French and their allied foes.

As Bonivet had feared, the French had no sooner moved out of Biagras
than the hitherto passive enemy woke to action and gave pursuit.

It had been rumored in the emperor's army that the wonderful Bayard was
in the rear-guard of the French, and this report held the pursuers at a
respectful distance for some time.

On the morning of the second day, however, the allies determined to
force an engagement; and, supported by heavy artillery, made a furious
charge upon the retiring French.

If the allied foes had expected to rout the retreating forces, they must
have been sadly disappointed, for the French instantly faced about and
met their onset with stubborn valor. The odds were overwhelmingly
against the sons of France; but Bayard was among them, and where he was,
was always desperate courage.

In the very first of the engagement the Lord of Bonivet was wounded and
had to be carried from the field, thus leaving Bayard in command. As he
was being borne away, Bonivet said to the chevalier--

"I pray and conjure thee, for the honor and glory of France, to defend
the artillery and flags to-day. Thou alone canst save them!"

Bayard had had too much experience not to see that it was then
impossible to retrieve what the admiral had lost, but he answered
simply--

"Too late! But my life is my country's, and while I live, the flags and
the artillery shall not fall into the enemy's hands." That promise was
not broken.