Historical Tales [calibre 5.4.1]

Across St André's plain,

With all the hireling cavalry

Of Gueldres and Almayne.

'Now by the lips of those ye love,

Fair gentlemen of France,

Charge for the golden lilies,

Upon them with the lance!'

A thousand spurs are striking deep,

A thousand spears in rest,

A thousand knights are pressing close

Behind a snow-white crest,

And in they burst, and on they rushed,

While, like a gliding star,

Amidst the thickest carnage blazed

The helmet of Navarre."

The enemy's cavalry being in flight and hotly pursued, Henry with a handful of horsemen (he had but thirty at his back when he came out of the mêlée) charged upon the Walloons and Swiss, who instantly broke and fled, with such impetuous haste that they left their standards behind them.

"Slay the strangers, but spare the French," was the king's order, as a hot pursuit of the flying infantry began, in which the German auxiliaries in particular were cut down mercilessly.

"And then we thought on vengeance,

And all along our van,

'Remember St. Bartholomew!'

Was passed from man to man.

But out spake gentle Henry,

'No Frenchman is my foe;

Down, down with every foreigner,

But let your brethren go.'"

The Swiss, however, ancient friends and allies of France, begged the king's compassion and were admitted to mercy, being drafted into his service. The flying Germans and French were severely punished, great numbers of them falling, many more being taken, the list of prisoners including a large number of lords and leaders of the foe. The battle had been remarkably short. It was won by the cavalry, the infantry having scarcely come into action. As to its effect, we may quote again from the poem.

"Now glory to the Lord of Hosts,

From whom all glories are,

And glory to our sovereign liege,

King Henry of Navarre.

Now let there be the merry sound

Of music and of dance,

Through thy corn-fields green and sunny vines,

Oh, pleasant land of France.

Hurrah! Hurrah! a single field

Hath turned the chance of war!

Hurrah! Hurrah! for Ivry,

And Henry of Navarre!"

It "turned the chance of war" in truth, in a great measure. Paris was in consternation. Everywhere was a great change in public opinion. Men ceased to look on Henry as an adventurous soldier, and came to regard him as a great prince, fighting for his own. Beyond this, however, the effect was not immediate. Paris remained in the hands of the League. A Spanish League was formed. The difficulties seemed to grow deeper. The only easy solution to them was an abjuration of the Protestant faith, and to this view Henry in the end came. He professed conversion to Catholicism, and all opposition ceased. Henry IV. became the fully acknowledged king of France, and for the time being all persecution of the Huguenots was at an end.