he was received with acclamation, and entered Milan
in triumph.

If this sudden revolution took all Italy by surprise, we can understand the
dismay of Louis XII., who found that he had all his work to do over again.
For not only had Milan rebelled, but all the other towns which he had
conquered.

King Louis sent the Sire de Ligny as his chief general, and as a matter of
course the Good Knight went with him. I must tell you the story of an
adventure he had. He was in a garrison about twenty miles from Milan with
other young men-at-arms, and they were constantly making small expeditions.
One day Bayard heard that in the little town of Binasco, near the Certosa
di Pavia, there were about three hundred good horses, which he thought
might be easily taken, and therefore he begged his companions to join him
in this adventure. He was so much beloved that forty or fifty gentlemen
gladly accompanied him. But the castellan of the fortress at Binasco had
news of this through his spies, and laid a trap for the Frenchmen; he had a
strong troop placed in ambuscade on the road, and made sure of success.
But, though taken by surprise, the Good Knight fought like a lion, and with
cries of "France! France!" led his little company again and again to the
attack, for, as he told them, if news of this reached Milan not one would
escape. In fact, so fierce was their charge that they drove back the
defenders mile after mile to the very gates of Milan. Then one of the older
soldiers, who saw the enemy's plan, shouted, "Turn, men-at-arms, turn!" and
the others heard in time, but the Good Knight, thinking only of pursuing
his foes, entered pell-mell with them into the city, and followed them to
the very palace of the lord Lodovico. As he was wearing the white cross of
France, he was soon surrounded on all sides and taken prisoner. Lodovico
had heard the cries, and sent for this brave foe, who was disarmed before
being taken to the palace.

The Duke of Milan was surprised to see such a young warrior, and asked him
what brought him into the city. The Good Knight, who was never put out by
anything, replied, "By my faith, my lord, I did not think I was coming in
alone, but believed my companions were following me. They understood war
better than I did, otherwise they would have been prisoners as I am...."
Then Lovodico asked him how big was the French army, and he made answer,
"As far as I know, my lord, there must be fourteen or fifteen hundred
men