fident," said the rough soldier Goswin;
"they think that five Lombards are at least equal to one German, and so
neglect their tactics. Ah! well! I killed twenty of them at Lodi
without dinting my sabre, and am rather curious to see how many I can
exterminate to-day, and not turn its edge."

"Yes," added Frederic, with a laugh; "and these good people have
surnamed you, in consequence, 'The Lombard-eater.' You are in luck
to-day, Master Goswin, for you will have enough to satisfy even your
appetite.--But to work, gentlemen! The enemy will not leave us much
longer the choice of the attack, so we must give him something to do."

He divided the escort into three columns, giving the right wing to
Count Otho, the left to the knight of Goswin, and reserving to himself
the command of the centre. The Lombard tactics were usually to kill the
horses of the knights, who, dismounted and in heavy armor, would then
become comparatively less dangerous; but the monarch understood the
danger.

The Milanese advanced about a hundred yards, and then halted. Unlike
the stern silence of their adversaries, they shouted, and sang, and
clashed their weapons as if to prove that they felt assured of victory.

Barbarossa rode along the front of his little band, which calmly
awaited the attack:--

"Valiant friends," said he, "have faith in your good cause! You draw
the sword against treachery and rebellion! Trust in God; it is he who
chastises the perjurer! Confide in the strength of your good right
arms, and show to the world, that you are worthy to bear the name
of Germans! Let St. Michael, the patron of our country, be your
rallying-cry! Couch your lances! Forward, Charge!"

"Saint Michael, Saint Michael for the Emperor!" rang through their
ranks, as they dashed upon the foe.

The Milanese cavalry, with a savage yell, advanced to meet their
enemies, while their infantry, in close column, awaited the shock of
the German horse. Soon the clash of arms and the wild cries of the
combatants proclaimed that they were fighting hand to hand. Barbarossa
was everywhere in the thickest of the _melee_; the Milanese leader fell
before his lance, and then the Emperor, sword in hand, broke through
the enemy's centre. Soon each knight had stretched an adversary on the
ground. The ranks of the infantry first faltered, and then gave way,
and many a foot-soldier found death beneath the hoofs of the trampling
chargers, as he vainly endeavored to pierce the ser