and said to him: "You know that I am crossing the mountains
to fight the Venetians, who have taken Cremona from me, and other places. I
am giving you the command of a company of men-at-arms ... but that can be
led by your lieutenant, Captain Pierre du Pont, while I wish you to take
charge of a number of foot-soldiers."

"Sire," replied the Good Knight, "I will do what you wish; but how many
foot-soldiers do you propose to give me?"

"One thousand," said the King; "no man has more."

But Bayard suggested that five hundred of these soldiers, carefully
chosen, would be quite enough for one man to command if he did his duty
thoroughly, and to this the King agreed, bidding the Good Knight bring them
to join his army in the duchy of Milan.

The important city of Padua, which had been restored to the Emperor
Maximilian, was left through his carelessness with a small garrison of only
800 "landsknechte" (German foot-soldiers). Two Venetian captains contrived
an ingenious stratagem for recovering the city. It was the month of July by
this time, and immense waggons of hay, from the second mowing, were
entering Padua every day. A number of Venetians made an ambush under some
thick trees about a bow-shot from the walls, then they hid behind the
hay-waggons and crept in through the gates, which at a given signal they
opened to their comrades. The German soldiers, taken by surprise, were put
to death, and the command was given to the brave General Pitigliano, who
repaired and strengthened the fortifications, knowing of what immense
importance this city was to his Republic.

Maximilian was extremely annoyed by the loss of Padua, and collected a
great army, composed of men from all the allies, to besiege it. He also
brought to bear against it the strongest artillery ever used--one hundred
and six pieces of cannon and six immense mortars, "so heavy that they could
not be raised on gun-carriages, they could only be loaded with stones, and
were fired off not more than four times a day." The city was strongly
fortified and defended, and it was decided to attack the most important
gate which led to Vicenza. This being a most perilous enterprise, the
command was given to Bayard of the attacking party. The gate was approached
by a long, straight road between deep ditches, and there were four great
barriers at two hundred steps from each other, all thoroughly defended.
There was a fierce contest at every one of these barriers, and many galla